[sennsay]

I'm looking forward to my Mogami arriving from the USA, hopefully it will show a noticeable improvement.

Last night I went back to Eva .... and this time I tracked straight to Over The Rainbow first up. Only QP1R and Ref1s. Oh my .... first thought, after becoming utterly riveted in wonder, was that I am jacked straight into the mike feed and nothing else exists, just that voice and her guitarist. My head filled with such purity that all sense of 'hifi' and electronics simply disappears. No edge or hardness, compression or distortion, noticeable by their not being there, plastic plectrum on steel guitar strings, finger slides and that glorious soaring climax during the last refrains ....
Not only am I still stunned that the QP1R can do this with such low power into this load, but that a pair of well used 29 year old headphones can still sound so pure when given such a signal. The drivers in them surely must be a work of art in themselves? I can hear nothing from the capsules that interferes with that purity and certainly not with the DAP running them. Only the most outrageous driving drum and bass adds some slight hollow colouration when much more power is available.
I'm still scrambling to find a way I can use my Mogami cable with the DAP. I just might have to suck it and go into town specifically to buy a new adapter

 

[sennsay]

I'm looking forward to my Mogami arriving from the USA, hopefully it will show a noticeable improvement.

As it turned out it wasn't really worth the $4.95 buying a cheap 6.5mm to 3.5mm adapter (the only one I could get) to run the Mogami from the QP1R. Sure, the sound filled out in the bottom end and a little warmth was added, but so was a slight sibilance and a little smearing that I found distracting from the music, quite unlike the riveting focus I experienced with the stock cable and Eva capturing my heart ... again. I suspected the adapter, which was not as good a fit as the 3.5mm jack on the end of the stock Senn cable. Hmm. And so began the mixing and matching of gear and cables. Running the stock Senn cable from a warmed up Magni 3, via the AQ Evergreen analogue output from the DAP's DAC was a superior sound to adapting the Mogami to work from the QP1R. That focus was back, just with more oomph and power available, so the bass filled out somewhat, yet while there was not a trace of sibilance when using it from the DAP, it now reverted to type again and revealed not the finest top end out there, though very far from the worst I've heard and still quite detailed. Exchanging the stock Senn cable for the Mogami and that almost creamy smoothness returned and I was home again Add in the Mimby and there's a little more flesh and blood to Eva's voice, if not the razor focus of the DAP on it's own. The whole soundstage just swells in size and immersion is inevitable. When my HD6XX arrives in some weeks, I'll be able to use the new cable with the Ref1s and see if the intervening years have improved the stock cable from Sennheiser at all.
I'll be very interested to hear of your impressions using the Mogami with your AZS, Mr Git.

Addendum: I came back to the M3/Mimby/Mogami'd Ref1s after a couple of hours and found things somewhat transformed. Several hours later and yet more improvement, it seems the Mimby takes a long time to really warm up and probably needs leaving on for the finest sound quality on offer. All that wonderful focused solidity had returned in spades, no trace of spit or edge, no smearing, just a totally immersing huge soundstage with real human beings playing as the terrific band that they are in a three dimensional space. Eva's voice full of power and clarity. I'm on stage with the musicians. Soundstage so expansive it seems like there is ambient sound coming from just behind my ears. A day of learning.

 

[jon parker]

This is by far the best and only real working adapter I have ever found!

Ex-Pro® Professional Quality Gold Plated STEREO Audio Adaptor 6.35mm (1/4 INCH) Jack Socket to 3.5mm Jack Plug - for Headphones

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0086P5F4M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[sennsay]

This is by far the best and only real working adapter I have ever found!

Ex-Pro® Professional Quality Gold Plated STEREO Audio Adaptor 6.35mm (1/4 INCH) Jack Socket to 3.5mm Jack Plug - for Headphones

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0086P5F4M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That looks just the beastie, thanks, jon parker Certainly much nicer than the el cheapo piece I bought today!

 

[jon parker]

Please, call me Jon

By the way, for anyone who doesn't know, with the jacks, especially on old headphones . . .

1, over time they develop micro cracks which can effect connectivity to a lesser or greater degree
2, rubbing the jack with Isopropyl alcohol can often perform wonders!
3, despite having a great adapter sometimes they just simply dont work perfectly and you have to twiddle them a bit
to get them into the right position to work properly - Unless its bad I would just leave it...as long as its working!

 

[Grumpy Old Git]

This is by far the best and only real working adapter I have ever found!

Ex-Pro® Professional Quality Gold Plated STEREO Audio Adaptor 6.35mm (1/4 INCH) Jack Socket to 3.5mm Jack Plug - for Headphones

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0086P5F4M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have one of these adaptors and it is excellent. However, the first one I ordered would not accept a 6.3mm plug, it would insert part way giving a mono signal.

If any of you guys really want to 'splash the cash' this is a good alternative..........

http://www.analogueseduction.net/furutech-adl/furutech-f35-headphone-plug-adaptor-63mm-to-35mm.html

Please, call me Jon

By the way, for anyone who doesn't know, with the jacks, especially on old headphones . . .

1, over time they develop micro cracks which can effect connectivity to a lesser or greater degree
2, rubbing the jack with Isopropyl alcohol can often perform wonders!
3, despite having a great adapter sometimes they just simply dont work perfectly and you have to twiddle them a bit
to get them into the right position to work properly - Unless its bad I would just leave it...as long as its working!

As above. And don't forget folks, IPA is also good for cleaning valve pins.

 

[hernandoco]

Oh hey yeah I bought those on aliexpress the link was for the P leather pads I think?

Btw the cayin dap that I bought will output 150mw in 3.5 SE (intentionally lower for IEM’s/Earbuds) but 250mw in 2.5mm ttrs balanced.

I’m wondering if that will be enough and I should get a balanced cable instead? I’m a bit of a noob in this regard and only know what Ive read.

Would there be any issues in picking up a balanced cable in 2.5 ttrs for this headphone?

What impedance were those figures for, 300 ohms? Or is that a general output figure? You might just squeeze enough juice out of her for the Ref2s, especially using the balanced mode The Schiit Magni 3 pumps out 430mW into 300 ohms (single ended) and 230mW into 600 ohms - for those of us with the higher impedance Ref series. I'd be interested to hear how you go. If you fancied a little light spending, you could run the Cayin DAP using the analogue output from the DAC (if it has such an output, using an Audioquest Evergreen cable, for example) into a Magni 3 for heaps more grunt and even power top to bottom.

I tried mine with my Hiby R6 DAP and while it does get loud, it doesn't quite have the power to really drive the HD540. The sound is slightly tinny and any low end frequency (which the 540s already don't have much of) gets even less. It still sounds fantastic though, just not as good as if you used a properly powered amp. I haven't tried out the balanced out yet though. I might just buy balanced cables that was linked earlier.

 

[Grumpy Old Git]

Just been listening to Carly Simon's 'your so vain' (96Khz 24Bit) using the AZS and Gold's. I had no idea how deep the bass is on that track until I heard it with this rig.
This isn't a bloated coloured bass, it's a deep well controlled bass that is detailed and so easy to follow.

The AZS and Gold's are a stunning pairing with fantastic synergy. I am left to ponder one question, we know the HD 540's are not bass-shy, but I wonder how the AZS would pair with the likes of HD 800's, T1's, and LCD-2's?
It's a shame i've no longer got access to cans like these.

 

[seanc6441]

I tried mine with my Hiby R6 DAP and while it does get loud, it doesn't quite have the power to really drive the HD540. The sound is slightly tinny and any low end frequency (which the 540s already don't have much of) gets even less. It still sounds fantastic though, just not as good as if you used a properly powered amp. I haven't tried out the balanced out yet though. I might just buy balanced cables that was linked earlier.

How is the R6 in SQ? Unfortunately my early impressions of the Cayin N5ii is mixed. The R6 was another serious contender although more expensive it looked fantastic except for one caveat, the 10 ohm output impendance vs 0.6 ohm of the N5ii... Seeing as I use sensitive dynamic driver earbuds im not sure how they will be effected in this regards, my earbuds are all 12-32 ohm.

I had 2 issues with the N5. Vocal presentation (not lush-smooth or forward enough for my liking) and the tonality being dead neutral when I prefer a slight warmth (although I could live with this I guess).

Anywho, thought I’d ask incase you ise the R6 with iems/earbuds.

 

[sennsay]

I tried mine with my Hiby R6 DAP and while it does get loud, it doesn't quite have the power to really drive the HD540. The sound is slightly tinny and any low end frequency (which the 540s already don't have much of) gets even less. It still sounds fantastic though, just not as good as if you used a properly powered amp. I haven't tried out the balanced out yet though. I might just buy balanced cables that was linked earlier.

The stock HD540s always puzzled me in previous years, how can my chest be vibrating with low bass when they have nothing like the mid bass impact and weight of my HD650s? I don't know, they just did, so often that there were countless times when I had to take the cans off thinking I'd left the speakers on in the system.
The stock ear pads are light and incredibly comfortable, yet leak some bass and don't seem to support image focus to the level they are well capable of. Just try a set of pleather pads and you'll hear the difference, it's marked!
The HD540 Ref1s are capable of really great bass, it's just a world away from the over done mid bass of many of todays more 'modern' cans. I hear you that the bass can sound reticent with the low output of a DAP, indeed the deep bass impact is lost somewhat when I use mine from the QP1R, but the focus and transparency is stunning! I put it down to the rather unique use of the pure Class A amplifier circuit in the QP1R. Class A is known for sounding pretty amazing well beyond it's apparently small power output. I mean, 12mW can do this? For vocal performances without driving bass lines it's jaw dropping
Good luck with the balanced option, I'd be interested to hear how it goes for you. Certainly, you should get more power.

 

[hernandoco]

How is the R6 in SQ? Unfortunately my early impressions of the Cayin N5ii is mixed. The R6 was another serious contender although more expensive it looked fantastic except for one caveat, the 10 ohm output impendance vs 0.6 ohm of the N5ii... Seeing as I use sensitive dynamic driver earbuds im not sure how they will be effected in this regards, my earbuds are all 12-32 ohm.

I had 2 issues with the N5. Vocal presentation (not lush-smooth or forward enough for my liking) and the tonality being dead neutral when I prefer a slight warmth (although I could live with this I guess).

Anywho, thought I’d ask incase you ise the R6 with iems/earbuds.

To be honest, if I didn't know about the 10 ohm OI, I wouldn't have even noticed the difference. I use the R6 with my UE Triple Fi 10s. Those are supposed to have a poor response to high OI because it's multiple driver, and has a terrible impedance curve. Listening to it right now, and it sounds great to me. I'm comparing it to my Chord Mojo and Schiit Magni 2 and although there is a noticeable difference, there isn't much to consider a deal breaker. The biggest difference for the Triple Fis is the slight loss in treble. Cymbals don't sound as crisp compared to when it's plugged into the Mojo or Magni. It's pretty minimal though that after a few songs, your ears adapt to it and it is still enjoyable.

The R6 is my first DAP since the iPod mini in 2006. What convinced me to pull the trigger was the fact that it bypasses the android audio architecture, runs android 6, newer (kinda) snapdragon processor and 3 gig ram. My samsung s7 battery is dying and rather than replace my phone, I just decided to get a DAP and just use the s7 till it dies.

You should be fine with dynamic single driver IEMs. You would probably even be fine with single BA. You might run into issues when you have multiple or hybrid IEMs depending on what you have. I have an Elecom hh1000 hybrid (1 DD + 1BA) at 24ohm and although I hear some slight forward mids, I'm not sure if it's because of the OI or just different power from a different source.

Basically, you can ignore the 10 ohm OI unless your IEM or headphone is known to have a wild impedance curve like my Triple fi 10 and make your purchase decision based on everything else it has to offer. I can understand the concerns from others in that thread but I took the gamble and I'm happy.

 

[seanc6441]

To be honest, if I didn't know about the 10 ohm OI, I wouldn't have even noticed the difference. I use the R6 with my UE Triple Fi 10s. Those are supposed to have a poor response to high OI because it's multiple driver, and has a terrible impedance curve. Listening to it right now, and it sounds great to me. I'm comparing it to my Chord Mojo and Schiit Magni 2 and although there is a noticeable difference, there isn't much to consider a deal breaker. The biggest difference for the Triple Fis is the slight loss in treble. Cymbals don't sound as crisp compared to when it's plugged into the Mojo or Magni. It's pretty minimal though that after a few songs, your ears adapt to it and it is still enjoyable.

The R6 is my first DAP since the iPod mini in 2006. What convinced me to pull the trigger was the fact that it bypasses the android audio architecture, runs android 6, newer (kinda) snapdragon processor and 3 gig ram. My samsung s7 battery is dying and rather than replace my phone, I just decided to get a DAP and just use the s7 till it dies.

You should be fine with dynamic single driver IEMs. You would probably even be fine with single BA. You might run into issues when you have multiple or hybrid IEMs depending on what you have. I have an Elecom hh1000 hybrid (1 DD + 1BA) at 24ohm and although I hear some slight forward mids, I'm not sure if it's because of the OI or just different power from a different source.

Basically, you can ignore the 10 ohm OI unless your IEM or headphone is known to have a wild impedance curve like my Triple fi 10 and make your purchase decision based on everything else it has to offer. I can understand the concerns from others in that thread but I took the gamble and I'm happy.

Funnily enough I actually use dynamic driver earbuds (like the classic style earbuds!) and they are between 12-32 ohm so pretty low impendance and high sensitivity.

I swear the cayin n5ii didn’t run circles around my iphone 6s in most departments (except amp power ofc) and I’m just not feeling it in the mids.

The hiby is it full, lush, natural? I know it’s hard to judge when you cannot compare easily but I’m still looking for that perfect dap lol.

I really wanted to love the cayin, oh well:/

 

[hernandoco]

Funnily enough I actually use dynamic driver earbuds (like the classic style earbuds!) and they are between 12-32 ohm so pretty low impendance and high sensitivity.

I swear the cayin n5ii didn’t run circles around my iphone 6s in most departments (except amp power ofc) and I’m just not feeling it in the mids.

The hiby is it full, lush, natural? I know it’s hard to judge when you cannot compare easily but I’m still looking for that perfect dap lol.

I really wanted to love the cayin, oh well:/

To my ears, it's on the warmer side of natural. The high frequencies are there but rolls off pretty quick where cymbals don't really shine in songs I know are supposed to shine. Again, I'm not sure if it's because of the DAP or if it just isn't amped as well as my other amps. Reading through the Hiby thread, it doesn't seem like any of the owners are running into any audio issues.

I'm going to try the 540s on the R6 again tonight. When I tried it last night, I listened to it for only like 5 minutes and I listened to it right after bassy iems which I just realized now why the 540s sounded so dead in the bass region. I just wish I could order aftermarket cables and it shows up at my door in 5 minutes.

 

[seanc6441]

To my ears, it's on the warmer side of natural. The high frequencies are there but rolls off pretty quick where cymbals don't really shine in songs I know are supposed to shine. Again, I'm not sure if it's because of the DAP or if it just isn't amped as well as my other amps. Reading through the Hiby thread, it doesn't seem like any of the owners are running into any audio issues.

I'm going to try the 540s on the R6 again tonight. When I tried it last night, I listened to it for only like 5 minutes and I listened to it right after bassy iems which I just realized now why the 540s sounded so dead in the bass region. I just wish I could order aftermarket cables and it shows up at my door in 5 minutes.

oh yeah let me know if the cable has an effect for you.

Also the rolled treble may be caused by the impendance swing from the 10 ohm output lol. Who knows!

 

[sennsay]

oh yeah let me know if the cable has an effect for you.

Also the rolled treble may be caused by the impendance swing from the 10 ohm output lol. Who knows!

I tend to agree about the OI creating a roll off. The QP1R has an extremely low OI and I certainly don't have any roll off of the highs. It'll all get sorted, it's part of the fun