[Cognacbrown]

Hi Nogi,

Honestly I can't say which I like better. Sure the HEX2 is much cheaper - half the price of LCD i4 but the LCD i4 is so compact and once you put them on, I hardly feel them. They would definitely be my go to earphones for my travels esp hotel room.

Both have got the big soundstage, deep bass (although I thought the HEX2 might be more visceral like you can actually feel the rumbling) and very scalable- sound doesn't compress and harden when volume is turned up. Mind you I've only had the LCD i4 for a couple of days. So maybe the new toy effect might wane but I'm liking the sound of these so far. If you have no need for compactness, then I would consider HEX2 a steal.

 

[nogi replicant]

Both my Tia Fourte and Dita Dream sound soooo good out of the WA8 3 tube. So much body in the lower regions and so musical. I am a happy guy.

 

[Zachik]

@nogi replicant - welcome to the WA8 club

 

[gunwale]

anyone tried wa8 and alo cdm or tu 05 tur 06?

 

[Cognacbrown]

Yes I think the WA8 raised a high bar for musically and the ability to make so many IEMs and headphones, Planars and non Planars so good. It’s amazing. If only they are the size of Mojo. However I would not trade their musicality for size. It’s that good. Comparing the popular Hugo 2 is certainly an interesting one.

I’ve the ALO CDM as well. It doesn’t have the bloom as WA8 but is a good compromise if compactness is critical. I loathe lugging the WA8 in its Pelican case together with a bulky USB B cable and the power brick. That’s my only gripe.

 

[Zachik]

I’ve the ALO CDM as well. It doesn’t have the bloom as WA8 but is a good compromise if compactness is critical. I loathe lugging the WA8 in its Pelican case together with a bulky USB B cable and the power brick. That’s my only gripe.

Can you make a little more detailed comparison between WA8 and ALO CDM?
I love my WA8, but considering additional SMALLER and LIGHTER DAC/Amp for travel - no way I am going to travel with my WA8

 

[Cognacbrown]

Ever since I got the WA8, I’ve not spent much time with the ALO CDM. However I did a fair bit of comparison with Hugo and CDM (which I got later).

The CDM has better drive IMHO compared to the Hugo. The WA8 however just has the magic to make all the headphones and IEMs I have sound good. I don’t think the comparison is fair. The WA8 is a transportable product (almost desktop like) and the CDM is more portable. I like the CDM for its portability and the ability to tube roll easily to get the sound I want. I use the Sonotones tubes which I prefer over the stock (Philip). I use more recently that Hifiman HEX2 and they sound good with the CDM. I’ve since sold the Hugo.

 

[gunwale]

so even if you roll tube, there's no way the cdm will sound close to wa8?

 

[Cognacbrown]

I’ve only tried a couple of tubes. Apparently the best of the lot are the Mullards but they are hard to find!

 

[SDBiotek]

I have both CDM and the WA8. For me, the WA8 is the "better" sounding of the two, but at the moment the ALO is much more customizable due to the relative ease of swapping out the tubes. WA8 has higher output, but some folks may like being able to get a warmer, lush, "tubey" sound from CDM. WA8 in high output mode can sound more tubey compared with 2-tube mode, but it seems less colored, to me, compared with CDM. I enjoy both products.

 

[xparallax]

Both my Tia Fourte and Dita Dream sound soooo good out of the WA8 3 tube. So much body in the lower regions and so musical. I am a happy guy.

Hi, what cable you used to connect your 1z and wa8? pcm or dsd (DoP) ?

 

[nogi replicant]

Hi, what cable you used to connect your 1z and wa8? pcm or dsd (DoP) ?

Pretty sure it DoP, I ordered the cable from Japan. I have selected DoP in the Output Settings on the 1z.

 

[xparallax]

 

[xparallax]

I bought a Onkyo dp-x1a exclusively for wa8 and it perfectly work. I wonder if I can get a cable for connecting 1z to wa8 when I buy 1z. can you tell me if it is a Sony made cable or a custom made cable, what is the model no and where you got it ? thanks.

 

[Joseph Lin]

Cool setup!