[jc9394]

Quote:

Originally Posted by turnstyle /img/forum/go_quote.gif To answer my own question, some of what I've found so far (happy to hear other suggestions if you have any): iBasso D4 Mamba iBasso iBasso D2+ Boa iBasso NuForce Icon Mobile Nuforce.com | Icon Mobile HeadRoom Total BitHead Headroom Total Bithead - Headphone Amplifier | HeadRoom Audio Emmeline "The Predator" Portable USB DAC/Amp (Ray Samuels Audio) Emmeline "The Predator" Portable USB DAC/Amp - Ray Samuels Audio i-Qube V2 i-Qube - A new dimension in portable hi-fi*»*specs V2 pico PORTABLE USB DAC / AMP HeadAmp - Audio Electronics (pico Portable USB DAC / Amp)

I tried both iQube V2 and PICO/DAC, I prefer iQube V2 but it is hissy (slight hiss, not the level of headphone out of the computer).

 

[tigon_ridge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 /img/forum/go_quote.gif well i knew before soozieq tried them she wasnt going to like them but for me the talk on here of "OMG the mid so are every bit as good as the 530 if not better but the treble is fixed' omg these are so better than everything" was just not true and a huge disappointment its not i hate them i hate them or anything, they are good but sometimes a feel this thread needs a little reality check. very good they may be but they are not perfect and other things do things both differently and in some cases better. a little objectivity, its an IEM not your favourite granny

You know, for a lot of people, the bolded part may still be true. It's not about how Mark likes it, it's about how each owner likes it. I'm grateful that people post their impressions, at all. Perhaps some people do find the mids of the UM3X better than the se530. Heck, I recall someone saying that the mids of the ie8 was better than the se530's mids. My point is, what sounds a certain way to you may sound different to another. And for the record, I haven't yet read one post that disagrees with the claim that the UM3X treble is a "fixed" or better extended version of the se530's. I don't think the thread needs a reality check... everyone experiences reality differently.

 

[bakhtiar]

iBasso D10 should be fine with UM3Xs. My reference source at this moment.

Icon Mobile : Not recommended, if you don't like singer(s) SHOUTING directly into your ears

. very forward mid. But quite suitable for watching movies or TV series.

 

[turnstyle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bakhtiar /img/forum/go_quote.gif iBasso D10 should be fine with UM3Xs. My reference source at this moment. Icon Mobile : Not recommended, if you don't like singer(s) SHOUTING directly into your ears . very forward mid. But quite suitable for watching movies or TV series.

Thanks. fwiw, of the iBasso boxes, I'm more inclined toward the D4 or D2+ (as I only need the USB/DAC, and not the optical inputs).

I'm actually not quite clear on the difference between the D4 and D2+ -- the D4 has dual DACs, but I don't really know why, and it can use a 9V battery, but my understanding is that I won't need to use it -- so there must be something I'm missing...

 

[hockeyb213]

It has a dac chip per channel as fas as I know and that is what it is all about.

 

[VicAjax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iponderous /img/forum/go_quote.gif There's nothing wrong with visiting and posting in these threads tigon_ridge. It's obvious to me that you enjoy generating discourse about IEMs and that's fine up to a point. But you remind me of an armchair traveller whom experiences destinations vicariously without ever really knowing what it's like to go there. I am sceptical that you continue to post here because of your need for further information. If you ever do jump off the fence and start to post your own "detailed" first-hand impressions of your very first IEM, I for one will be most interested in reading them. Until then, my inclination is to be dismissive of your seemingly endless questions because attempting to answer them feels like a waste of time and effort.

first of all, i don't mean to offend, so please take this simply in the spirit of defending the other guy. having said that...

you've been posting in this thread since May. that's nearly six months. you finally got your UM3X about three days ago and they're already for sale. that's not nearly enough time to get to know any piece of kit, much less an IEM that changes noticeably depending on tip, fit, insertion and source. i don't mean this as a personal slight, just stating the facts.

and now you're getting all hot and bothered over a guy who isn't doing anything you (or any of the rest of us) haven't done in spades... ask for more info, even from folks who don't like the UM3X for whatever reason.

perhaps you're right that he shouldn't ask you for more detailed opinion, because you aren't familiar enough with the IEM to give one. but he's perfectly within reason to ask for others. Mark graciously repeated his detailed reasons for disliking the UM3X, which was helpful to the guy. you're just ranting at him. let it go.

 

[turnstyle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hockeyb213 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It has a dac chip per channel as fas as I know and that is what it is all about.

Yes, and the suggestion is that two DAC's are supposed to be better than one? (for example, I don't think any of pico, i-Qube, Predator use two DAC's)

Apart from the "what's the benefit of two DAC's question -- is the amp on the D4 supposed to be better than the D2+?

I'm still not quite getting what the benefit of the D4 is over the D2+...

 

[A_Dying_Wren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by turnstyle /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, and the suggestion is that two DAC's are supposed to be better than one? (for example, I don't think any of pico, i-Qube, Predator use two DAC's) Apart from the "what's the benefit of two DAC's question -- is the amp on the D4 supposed to be better than the D2+? I'm still not quite getting what the benefit of the D4 is over the D2+...

Sound quality mostly. I'm sure the dual DACs help.

I'm waiting on some reviews (headphone addict is getting one

) but initial impressions suggest that the SQ from the D4 is comparable to that of the D10 (if i'm not mistaken)

 

[tigon_ridge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by turnstyle /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, and the suggestion is that two DAC's are supposed to be better than one? (for example, I don't think any of pico, i-Qube, Predator use two DAC's) Apart from the "what's the benefit of two DAC's question -- is the amp on the D4 supposed to be better than the D2+? I'm still not quite getting what the benefit of the D4 is over the D2+...

I think these questions are good, and I have my hunches, but the D4 thread and the D2+ thread may quickly answer (more thoroughly) your questions. I, myself, have read that the D2+ doesn't compete well against the D10. In the D4 thread, I read that the D4 has very similar SQ to the D10. That's why I've been very hopeful about this product, because at $219 it's actually 20% less expensive than the D10! At my budget level, I can certainty appreciate an excellent value when I see one.

 

[turnstyle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by A_Dying_Wren /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sound quality mostly. I'm sure the dual DACs help. I'm waiting on some reviews (headphone addict is getting one ) but initial impressions suggest that the SQ from the D4 is comparable to that of the D10 (if i'm not mistaken)

Do you happen to know how the SQ of the D10 compares to the D2+? ie, if there's a clear improvement from D2+ to D10 in SQ (comparing a USB source), and if the D4 is comparable to the D10, rather than the D2+ -- then that would add up. But (so far) I seem to be missing what the benefit is -- perhaps that's just because it's still new...

 

[turnstyle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigon_ridge /img/forum/go_quote.gif I, myself, have read that the D2+ doesn't compete well against the D10.

ah! do you happen to remember where you saw that? (I didn't find anything obvious via Google for 'ibasso d2+ vs d10')

If that is indeed the case, and if the D4 is more comparable to the D10 than the D2+ -- then that would be the answer...

 

[mark2410]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigon_ridge /img/forum/go_quote.gif You know, for a lot of people, the bolded part may still be true. It's not about how Mark likes it, it's about how each owner likes it. I'm grateful that people post their impressions, at all. Perhaps some people do find the mids of the UM3X better than the se530. Heck, I recall someone saying that the mids of the ie8 was better than the se530's mids. My point is, what sounds a certain way to you may sound different to another. And for the record, I haven't yet read one post that disagrees with the claim that the UM3X treble is a "fixed" or better extended version of the se530's. I don't think the thread needs a reality check... everyone experiences reality differently.

well im happy to give a less absent treble than the 530, it really hides on the 530 to cover up its failings. i think i prefer that to the um3x but in no way would i argue the 530 treble is better. it just is not.

arguably id give the um3x has better mids than the tf10 or ie8 but no they are no where near better than the 530. their relative forwardness or not may boul down to preference but they do in no way beat them.

as ive said before the um3x is a good jack of all trades buts its a master of none (talking about top tier, clearly the um3x beats most things in everyway)

 

[tigon_ridge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by turnstyle /img/forum/go_quote.gif ah! do you happen to remember where you saw that? (I didn't find anything obvious via Google for 'ibasso d2+ vs d10') If that is indeed the case, and if the D4 is more comparable to the D10 than the D2+ -- then that would be the answer...

Well, as it turned out, I haven't found any specific comparisons between the D2+ and D10, only conjectures. However, to be honest, I don't see how they could be on the same level with just such a vast difference in price, in addition to the fact that the original D2 version has been known to be significant inferior to the D10. I doubt that the "plus" version is a huge improvement. The D4, on the other hand...

 

[turnstyle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigon_ridge /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, as it turned out, I haven't found any specific comparisons between the D2+ and D10, only conjectures. However, to be honest, I don't see how they could be on the same level with just such a vast difference in price, in addition to the fact that the original D2 version has been known to be significant inferior to the D10. I doubt that the "plus" version is a huge improvement. The D4, on the other hand...

But we can reach the same conclusion if:

1) the D2 compares poorly to the D10 in SQ

2) the D2+ compares similarly to the D2 in SQ

Have you seen either/both of those addressed?

I'm happy to think that the D4 is better -- but I'm also happy if the D2+ performs just as well...

 

[tigon_ridge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 /img/forum/go_quote.gif well im happy to give a less absent treble than the 530, it really hides on the 530 to cover up its failings. i think i prefer that to the um3x but in no way would i argue the 530 treble is better. it just is not. arguably id give the um3x has better mids than the tf10 or ie8 but no they are no where near better than the 530. their relative forwardness or not may boul down to preference but they do in no way beat them. as ive said before the um3x is a good jack of all trades buts its a master of none (talking about top tier, clearly the um3x beats most things in everyway)

Sure. However, isn't this true of all the top-tier universal IEMs? I mean, if the se530 were a master of mids, then it would be as good as the JH13's mids (it's not). If the IE8 were a master of bass, then it would be as good as the JH13's bass (it's not). It's the TF10 were a master of treble then it would be as good as the JH13's treble (nope). If you don't mind sacrificing a bit of portability, maybe pairing the UM3X with an excellent amp and UM56 would perhaps allow them to become a great jack of all trades; perhaps even a "master" of something. At least, that's my hope. I mean, it seems that all of the things you dislike about the UM3X can be significantly improved with a high quality amp. On the other hand, you won't find an amp that will bring out the TF10's recessed mids; nor any amp that will significant extend the se530's treble; and very few, if any that is portable, that will tame the IE8's mountainous bass.