[jasonb]

I know this is the IEM sub-forum and not the amp/DAC sub-forum, but I’m curious what everyone is using for their IEMs.

 

[msing539]

Desktop, iFi Pro iCan Signature. Portable was RU6, now an iFi Go Bar.

 

[Matchi]

When I'm not using an iBasso DX240 I use my desktop setup which consists of a Violectric V202 and a Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Shanling M6U by itself when I am lazy
Shanling M6U + G5 when i want the most.
iBasso DX300 is being tested. It matches the M6U + G5 by itself, but it is gigantic.
UTWS5 for any listening from iPhone, including YouTube.
FiiO K7 when I sit in my home office.
Hidizs S9 when I am at work.
Creative SXFi X1 with Nintendo Switch.

 

[fendiking]

Fiio M11 plus ESS and apple dongle

 

[silent-circuit]

Topping G5 portable, Topping D90 / A90 stack desktop.

Sometimes the XB10 or UTWS3 when I want something smaller than the G5.

Mostly the G5, though. It's good enough that I don't feel the need to be tethered to the desktop unless I'm really trying to get the maximum out of something.

 

[vafler86]

I have BTR7, Tanchjim space, Meizu, Ugreen and Fiio KA3.

And i keep coming back to KA3.

 

[jasonb]

Topping G5 portable, Topping D90 / A90 stack desktop.

Sometimes the XB10 or UTWS when I want something smaller than the G5.

Mostly the G5, though. It's good enough that I don't feel the need to be tethered to the desktop unless I'm really trying to get the maximum out of something.

Ever heard any EMI when sitting next to a phone on the G5? I’m considering a G5, but have seen a person or two mention EMI when next to a phone, and it would be used sandwiched to an iPhone.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Ever heard any EMI when sitting next to a phone on the G5? I’m considering a G5, but have seen a person or two mention EMI when next to a phone, and it would be used sandwiched to an iPhone.

I hear EMI whenever I reach a certain threshold of my office, when my iPhone starts connecting to the office wifi.

Even sitting next to the G5 with my phone can produce EMI. That’s the biggest fail from Topping side, IMHO. (That and the internal DAC implementation).

 

[silent-circuit]

Ever heard any EMI when sitting next to a phone on the G5? I’m considering a G5, but have seen a person or two mention EMI when next to a phone, and it would be used sandwiched to an iPhone.

No issues with a Pixel 7 Pro. Can't speak to what it might or might not do with an iPhone.

 

[jasonb]

I hear EMI whenever I reach a certain threshold of my office, when my iPhone starts connecting to the office wifi.

Even sitting next to the G5 with my phone can produce EMI. That’s the biggest fail from Topping side, IMHO. (That and the internal DAC implementation).

No EMI with my NX4DSD, or Qudelix 5K, so a DAC/amp can definitely be made to not have EMI. I’ve never noticed any with the cheap Apple dongles either, so it’s odd and disappointing that the G5 is susceptible to it. So that’ll be a no go for me.

 

[Derivative]

Chord Mojo 2 mostly, although I sometimes use the Violectric Chronos on the move when I want / need to travel lighter.
Sometimes the Mojo 2 is complemented by the Vorzuge Duo amp, however this is not strictly necessary.

 

[o0genesis0o]

No EMI with my NX4DSD, or Qudelix 5K, so a DAC/amp can definitely be made to not have EMI. I’ve never noticed any with the cheap Apple dongles either, so it’s odd and disappointing that the G5 is susceptible to it. So that’ll be a no go for me.

Noted that EMI only appears when there is activity on the iPhone. It’s not like G5 hisses and pops all the time. Though I need to be careful when putting my phone or BTR5 near it.

 

[jasonb]

Noted that EMI only appears when there is activity on the iPhone. It’s not like G5 hisses and pops all the time. Though I need to be careful when putting my phone or BTR5 near it.

I hear ya. My use case would be with it strapped to an iPhone streaming from Apple Music so it doesn’t seem ideal if there is going to be EMI. It also seems like waaay overkill to use something that large with IEM’s that need such little power.

I’d really love to just use the Apple dongle and keep things super simple, but FOMO.

 

[o0genesis0o]

I hear ya. My use case would be with it strapped to an iPhone streaming from Apple Music so it doesn’t seem ideal if there is going to be EMI. It also seems like waaay overkill to use something that large with IEM’s that need such little power.

I’d really love to just use the Apple dongle and keep things super simple, but FOMO.

TBH, it also pisses me off that I still hear better stage and dynamic from something like DX300. When I decided to use only IEM, I hope that I can avoid chunky equipments of headphones.

It seems to me that something else inside those big amps give us that staging and dynamic, not “more power”. I’m quite shocked to find that the tiny UTWS5 can project similar soundstage to my M6U, even via bluetooth. So it’s not the max output number.
The thing is when you don’t have any of these equipment to actually test, it does not matter. But when you hear the difference once, it’s hard to unhear.