Random IEM / Headphone Rants

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@Faheem,

Did you try it with RE262? May be you should try it with RE0, RE262 and not with 'desktop IEM' like RE1. Or you can plot to send that useless piece of garbage this way so that I can compare it with Arrow :devil2: :P
 
I did try it with RE-0 and a few other IEMs. I just couldn't digest it actually costed anything more than 200$. I am being very generous when I say 200$ :P
 
mukulymn said:
Congrats on arrow.....damages???

$265. Read here and here
FaH33m said:
I did try it with RE-0 and a few other IEMs. I just couldn't digest it actually costed anything more than 200$. I am being very generous when I say 200$ :P

Is lack of output power the only reason for you to say that? I know it does make audible pop when turned on which could kill your IEM, has only limited usable potentiometer range and hisses badly beyond a certain range. But, no positives about it? :P
 
^^ Err its Nukeys amp and he did have it when we had the audio meet in TE.

I did not like it for a) lack of power (whats the point in a headphone amp if it cannot provide adequate power ? ) and a rather dry sound.
 
Dry or Transparent? What was the source used?

I'm asking this because I used Arrow with 3 different sources and it just seems to amplify whatever the source feeds it. Is Pico Slim like that or would it make HM602 neutral? ;)
 
^^ No it wasn't completly neutral. IMO it was more on the dry side rather than transparent side.

Transparent amps dont screw up the midrange ! :)

My Ibasso is pretty transparent. Faheem heard his TF10s with my Ibasso and he felt the overall sound sig was the same compared to his Iphone with a bit better bass and treble.
 
Side-tracking from Pico Slim --

Anyone know this Firoze? Location is listed as Mumbai and he has heard all top-tier IEMs + universal demos of custom IEMs before settling on FI-BA-SS.
 
^^ Hmm, never heard of him. He even likes Photography (as per his profile on head-fi)

Maybe Faheem should try and contact him and get a hold of some of his IEMs. :P
 
^ So that's what's keeping you busy these days? I demand an immediate review of W4 vs EX-1000 vs FI-BA-SS vs Custom IEM demos :ohyeah:. And as I found your real profile, I demand your Stax rig for 14 days as an award :P

The first RE-242 review is up - [sample review] RE-242 - Head-Fi.org Community. Can't make out much from it. It looks like one of those micro-drivers (Hippo Shroom). Color coding is a nice idea. Might sound like Hippo Shroom then? Not sure.
 
^^ BTW I got to do a 15 minute AB between a TF10 UE silver cable and the stock TF10 cable. :devil2:

I couldn't make out even a little difference. Tried only 2 tracks using the same Comply tips so its possible the differences may present themselves in some other tracks but IMO cables are either a lot of snake oil or you need a more revealing phone than a TF10.

I was always wondering if cables make a big difference as so many people on head-fi claim and while I cannot conclude that there is no difference I can safely say that whatever difference is there it isn't very significant. :)
 
totally my views: if components(amps, dac) make a difference, why a cable cant . Though i have not heard any cables except stock, but on paper it seem obvious.

faheem got a stax rig.......what, when, how + W4+Ex1000+ other confusing stuffs........:huh::huh: :S
 
^^ He is just joking. :)

Regarding DACs, amps and cables there are lots of differences.

There are many Double Blind tests where people are easily able to distinguish between cheap amps and better amps as well as differences between cheap DACs and expensive DACs.

The differences in amps and dacs are all measurable. The differences between cables is however not so clear cut.

Till date no DBT of any significance has shown that people can make out differences between cables when sight is taken out of the picture.

In any case the above conclusion I have made is that for the TF10 at least there is very little performance increase (if any) from getting a better cable. This may change with a better source and with a better headphone.

Read ANY cable manufacturers page and you will never see ANY of them show an ounce of proof why his cable is better than the competition or what it is in his cable that makes it sound better.

If you see any amp or DAC manufacturers page you will see them always post measurements like THD, sNR, power output in mA, A etc.

I guarantee that you will not find any cable manufacturer throw any measurements to show you how his cable is better than any of the competition or how his cable will be able to improve the sound with facts. All they throw at the customer is a bunch of marketing lingo and unsubstantiated facts masquerading as the absolute truth ! :P
 
Used to believe the same as you - cables don't matter. But I don't believe so anymore and in all honesty I feel DBTs themselves are not scientific.

I'm sure 3-5 years down the line, you'll see the light :-)
 
^ Sunnboi told us about the easily noticeable cable differences in your setup :). I guess Brendon is trying to say that TF10 didn't really show any improvements with the upgrade cable.
 
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