Been using the Bokeh paired up with my Cayin RU7 (powered by my iMac 27") the past two days, and I got to say this combo really is incredible. It sounds better than many full sized desktop systems I have heard, and I am not exaggerating. There is some very special synergy going on between the RU7 and the Bokeh, and I just can't get enough!
I am experiencing the same. But admittedly, I think some of the love for this RU7 synergy, at least for me, is certainly influenced by its portability in at least being able to walk around the house or even out on the deck or patio to enjoy it all. And if anything, this setup adds to the musicality by being more forgiving than even a WA22 or similar colored chain. I think the discrete 1-bit DAC thing it has going for it perfectly softens whatever sharp edges the Bokeh bring to the table, but not in a bad way, with no appreciable loss of resolution. None that matters at least
I've enjoyed the RU7 pairing so much that I looked into trying out the N7 DAP that I believe has the same 1-bit DAC setup but with a bit more gain headroom and selectable A/AB amping.
zach915m happened to have an extra one NIB lying around he offered to part with, so now I'm giving that setup a go. Sounds fantastic so far, very similar sounding to the RU7, at least with the Bokeh, except now there's less stuff to carry in that It's only an N7 in my pocket with cable running directly to Bokeh while I wander about the home. Doesn't get any better than this.
The N7 does start to show its weakness with higher impedance headphones like my AO. It still sounds great, and I'm certainly thrilled for the ability to walk around the house with a pair of Atriums on, but it's no surprise that the AO is better suited for desktop rigs to really shine. Bokeh on the other hand, does not hold much back with driven by just the RU7 or N7. Wonderful synergy indeed.
Also got my grubby hands on a set of bokeh gaming cables with integrated mic boom. So far, just having tested them on nothing else other than my daughter's old iPad as the the source, which still has an audio jack, the audio is great, and microphone voice quality is excellent. I have an Audeze Maxwell gaming headset, which is well-regarded as having very good mic quality, and just a quick A-B between the Maxwell's boom mic vs the Bokeh + gaming cable boom mic, I'd say they are very comparable in quality, though the ZMF mic is a little more sensitive to distance of mic placement than the Audeze mic. Not an issue as the arm articulates and holds its position well. I give these a big thumbs up so far. Perfectly functional and well above average in fact. A no brainer if you want to use the Bokeh for gaming, calls, or even work meetings. My wife plans to use for a few work meetings next week, so we'll see how she feels about it.
just purchased some used Aeolus’s last night, and with everything yall have been saying, I feel the Bokeh is the headphone I’ve been needing. I’m falling in love with the ZMF community.
let’s just say the Aeolus and Bokeh are my Christmas gifts to myself for the next 2 years….just got them in advance lol.
