[nsx_23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Junliang /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sleek audio VS JH16 dilemma....

I think you might as well save up and go straight to the JH13, 16 pro, UE18pro or one of the other top-end customs. Even when I walk my dog, for example, I can still hear the difference between various IEMs, so you might as well save up and go right to the top of the chain rather than getting the sleeks, then hankering after something else in the not too distant future.

Alternatively, is there any possible way to get custom tips for the sleeks made? I had custom tips for my TF10pro, and the difference was night and day. Isolation increased dramatically as well.

I also just use a Cowon D2 unamped OTG. Its absolutely bliss with a 32GB SD card, but I might get a Cowon J3 when the D2 dies (*touchwood*) since the larger screen should make viewing videos OTG a more pleasant experience, and microSDs now go to 32GB.

For portable, my rule-of-thumb is Headphones/IEMs>Source>Amp.

 

[Junliang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nsx_23 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think you might as well save up and go straight to the JH13, 16 pro, UE18pro or one of the other top-end customs. Even when I walk my dog, for example, I can still hear the difference between various IEMs, so you might as well save up and go right to the top of the chain rather than getting the sleeks, then hankering after something else in the not too distant future. Alternatively, is there any possible way to get custom tips for the sleeks made? I had custom tips for my TF10pro, and the difference was night and day. Isolation increased dramatically as well. I also just use a Cowon D2 unamped OTG. Its absolutely bliss with a 32GB SD card, but I might get a Cowon J3 when the D2 dies (*touchwood*) since the larger screen should make viewing videos OTG a more pleasant experience, and microSDs now go to 32GB. For portable, my rule-of-thumb is Headphones/IEMs>Source>Amp.

For the price to pay for a ct6(full custom version of an sa6), i would rather go for ct6 than custom tips haha

Haha thanks for the reply..
guess the choice is quite clear now =/

 

[3X0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mochan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry but source is the second most important, if not the most important, component of the audio chain. Some DAPs just sound better than others and will give a better end sound. It all starts with the source. Usability of the source is second fiddle.

To a certain extent, yes. The point here is that the disparity between modern-day portable players is simply substantially less than the disparity between portables and desktop units. A sub-$100 Sansa is a much better choice as a source than a Sony X or S:flo2 when you can use the saved money to purchase better headphones.

Food for thought: the JH13s out of a "crappy" player like a stock iPod Photo or even the Nokia N95 wrecks the Triple.fi 10 Pros out of a Sony X. The X + TF10s gets the floor wiped with it, it's not even close. I didn't have the 10 Pros to try with the S:flo2 when I had the opportunity to play with it, but I imagine the result would be the same. The 13s also win out of a desktop setup, but the difference is much smaller in that area. Portables still bottleneck the headphones.

 

[rawrster]

now if only the didn't cost so much money and to add impressions and shipping

I am pretty happy with my universal iem's out of my fuze however. I don't think I'll be in the market for another dap for a long time unless it breaks or I misplace it or something like that.

 

[nsx_23]

Its surprising how many people have Sansas, and I think Sandisk did a good job with them. Great proof you don't need to blow large amounts of money for a great sounding DAP.

A lot of people seem to forget that you can use high-end customs with desktop amps as well for great performance.

 

[rawrster]

I agree. They definitely have done a great job with their dap's at under 100 bucks. I got my 8gb fuze for around 50-60 and add in another 40 or so for a microsdhc and you got $100 for a 24gb player. The same can be said for the clip+.

I'm hoping to save enough for the JH13 but the UM Mage seems to suit my preferences better. I got plenty of time to think about that

 

[abyrvalg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3X0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The thing is, portables aren't anywhere near desktop quality. Even the venerable H100 series via SPDIF with an iBasso D10 (stock opamps) failed to impress me. Admittedly I just wasn't enamored with the D10's performance as a DAC.

D10 did not impress me at all either (although I used it for several months on the go, for it's portability). But the world does not end at ibasso.

There is Vulcan VB, and Portable MicroAmp with DAC, and then there are various expensive pro-grade portable things available. There are even pro-grade portable headphone amps available, although portability of pro gear is rather limited - I need a bag to carry my gear around.

Well, that's not too high price for a quality. And quality of some of that pro grade portable is quite close to what you can get from a relatively desktop stuff. Not high-end, sure, but pretty solid mid-level hi-fi SQ you can get on the go.

 

[nsx_23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rawrster /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree. They definitely have done a great job with their dap's at under 100 bucks. I got my 8gb fuze for around 50-60 and add in another 40 or so for a microsdhc and you got $100 for a 24gb player. The same can be said for the clip+. I'm hoping to save enough for the JH13 but the UM Mage seems to suit my preferences better. I got plenty of time to think about that

I wonder how long it'll take until 32GB microSDs drop to a low price.

 

[Deep Funk]

At least six months I guess. Otherwise getting such a memory card is cheaper by contacts in the trade.

 

[bikertrash]

Best I can tell, ABI is biased toward Cowons, which might be the best sounding but I understand their usability takes some getting used to. They also like the Clip+. Everything in between is like 'OK'.

 

[music_4321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3X0 /img/forum/go_quote.gif To a certain extent, yes. The point here is that the disparity between modern-day portable players is simply substantially less than the disparity between portables and desktop units. A sub-$100 Sansa is a much better choice as a source than a Sony X or S:flo2 when you can use the saved money to purchase better headphones. Food for thought: the JH13s out of a "crappy" player like a stock iPod Photo or even the Nokia N95 wrecks the Triple.fi 10 Pros out of a Sony X. The X + TF10s gets the floor wiped with it, it's not even close. I didn't have the 10 Pros to try with the S:flo2 when I had the opportunity to play with it, but I imagine the result would be the same. The 13s also win out of a desktop setup, but the difference is much smaller in that area. Portables still bottleneck the headphones.

A refreshing thread.

While I agree with a lot of what you've said so far -- I sold both my portable amps as they didn't really improve the sound of the iPod Classic I used to have -- I believe the same argument is valid for the purchase of high-end customs (JH13, JH16, UE18, ES3X, and so on).

For me, it was the universal Westone UM3X's that really made a difference in SQ when I had them. I then got the ES3X customs, which I now use all the time, but the difference in SQ was (and is) NOT worth, in my view, the price difference ($850 + ear impressions for the ES3X, plus the likelihood of one or more refits; 3 in my case). The UM3X were incredibly comfortable (pretty much like my ES3X), with fantastic isolation, incredible SQ -- and from next month with detachable cables, which was the main reason why I 'upgraded' to my ES3X's. The other customs I listed are even more expensive and if you need a refit(s), like A LOT of people do, you have to add extra (expensive) shipping charges, and more so if you don't happen to live in the US.

I now have the Sony X, which is more portable & better sounding than the iPod Classic, though not significantly so. However, if were to recommend a DAP with a combination of very decent SQ, ease of use and portability, I'd definitely suggest getting a 16gb iPod Nano & a set of UM3X (or another top-tier universal IEM -- for me the UM3X were the best, see my sig).

I strongly believe that high-end customs, just like portable amps, are terribly overrated. I also feel that a lot, A LOT of what's often said on these forum threads is quite misleading

 

[LeeMark]

Quote:

Originally Posted by music_4321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I strongly believe that high-end customs, just like portable amps, are terribly overrated. I also feel that a lot, A LOT of what's often said on these forum threads is quite misleading

Having stated you only used one custom, to say that ALL are overrated, as are amps, is ALSO misleading. You can say that YOU don't believe they are worth it but to impugn that others are misleading people is to essentially saying there is some intentional lying going on. I think an amp makes a big difference, I can hear it, I think the high end customs like the JH13 makes a BIG difference, I can even hear differences in cables. Am I misleading people?

 

[grokit]

A lot of it is simple economics. The reason headphone rigs are the fastest-growing segment of the audiophile market is because you can get to the top tier for significantly less money than it would take for a speaker-based setup.

And with amps like the balanced protector, the right cable and an IEM like the JH16 topping out together at around $2k, economics also explains why IEM rigs are the fastest-growing segment of the headphone market; it's all about "bang for the buck".

 

[nsx_23]

I think the increasing demand for universal fits is driving R&D, thus lifting the performance across the market and cutting that previously traditional performance gap between customs and universals.
It wasn't that long ago that there were only 1 or 2 decent top-end universals on the market, and that you had to go custom to get the absolute best sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeMark /img/forum/go_quote.gif Having stated you only used one custom, to say that ALL are overrated, as are amps, is ALSO misleading. You can say that YOU don't believe they are worth it but to imply that others are misleading people is to essentially saying there is some intentional lying going on. I think an amp makes a big difference, I can hear it, I think the high end customs like the JH13 makes a BIG difference, I can even hear differences in cables. Am I misleading people?

Mate, just relax. At the end of the day, its YOU that has to be happy with the set-up

Everyone has an opinion.

 

[Trysaeder]

This thread has pretty much convinced me to turn my RSA Shadow funds into a K701 + a fraction of an amp.

Although I really really really want a shadow.