Loaner Gear Request/Progress Master Thread

I like this thought and would add the suggestion to purchase funk firm acromat 3mm/5mm into the list.. dB

 

Nice idea! Out of the box and simple, but extremely useful to vinyl owners.

 

I can do this. I'm saving everything for a used Holo Spring 3 KTE for a loaner right now though so I'm not sure about buying any of them. But I could put a post together and ask people to send me ones they have and then ship them all out together.

 

Have people take a pic of each mat before they send them to you, they'll be needed to identify them later.

 

1. Maybe a few more standalone streamers comparable to the pi2aes. Don't care too much which exact ones we get as long as its something that most of us can buy, is from an at least a semi-reputable company (no LH labs experience or free spyware inside), user friendly with good interface + UX, "good" subject to interpretation but lets say at a minimum on par with most DAP interfaces.

2. Something closer to nervosa - cables. Should be lower priority as this whole test will include "listening to cables" but it seems like most of us eventually spend money on this anyways. At the end, if possible, we try correlate subjective results to cable impedance measurements to see if the difference is largely just due to differences in impedance.

Could include:
a) Blind listening test for copper vs silver cables vs hybrid cables (i.e. cloth wrapped cable so we can't see it + color code them or something). Take listening notes and submit.
Note that for hybrid, I'm not 100% sure how "good" the bonding process of silver to copper is for most cable mfgs making silver plated copper, so maybe it's better if we do the hybrid cable where it's X number of pure silver cables and Y number of pure copper cables.
OR
b) Get 3-4 cables that are all copper but from different physical cable manufacturers (not just a different company weaving the cables or soldering the terminations, i.e. the metal inside the wire is actually processed and made differently). See what the difference, if any, is.
OR
c) Other random cables such AES, USB, RCA cables, or whatever other interconnects we like to use.
OR
d) A bunch of random members donate some "big name" cables for this and we send them around on a tour, just like the T/T mats.

 

I have a ton of cables, I bought cables from every company other than Double Helix to find the right one for my modded orthos. I could probably loan them out. Though I'm not sure how much interest there actually is. I offered a Forza Hifiman cable for loan and no one signed up.

I don't really want to support anyone but Michael Kelley with streamers.
but I guess I could reach out if you have a list or some recommendations other than iFI

 

My pi2aes works fine and all, just thought that we should present other options given how many of us like and use these now and got bigger improvements for the $ than many of us expected.
edit: if anything, a comparison may demonstrate the point that pi2aes is the way to go in terms of value, flexibility, sound quality, or whatever other criteria. and if pi2aes falls short in whatever way, it gives the product room to improve.

Could you create a post elsewhere when you have time where you share your thoughts on the different brands of cables?
(I know we PM'd about it a bit already - this would be for everyone to see, etc.) Or if you already did, then oops, just haven't seen it.

 

I haven't posted impressions of al the cables I've purchased because the manufacturers are all just one man shows and they're all such good people. I've spoken with them all extensively and I don't have the heart to write which cables I think sound better/worse.

I made a post with pretty pictures of them instead which is in the cable forum.

 

As someone who opted to get the Allo Digione instead I'd be very interested in others thoughts on what I may or may not be missing with pi2aes.
I use a stock rpi4 over usb as well so either could be added to the pile if anyone else is interested.

 

I agree, however when I have looked around (granted not very hard) there seems to a significant $gap$ between Pi2AES and just about everything else. This niche seems to be top heavy with ORFAS gear, and then a gap down to the handful of sub $500 offerings that do require a bit of geekdom to even operate. Also, this niche is USB heavy, understandably so...that's my read anyways.

 

I'm wondering if we can request iFi's highest end dac and head amp (Pro iDSD Signature, Pro iCan Signature) for the loaner tour. Surely we had a tour for Pro iDSD dac years ago but the newer signature version seems to replace lots of internal parts and perhaps update circuits, too. They also did increase price quite a bit. Really curious if the delta is worth spending more.

On the Pro iCan front, we didn't really have many reviews for this amp. Despite many ifi fans out there when it comes to portable hifis. There are several reliable impressions about the amp but they're about pre-signature. With the signature version update, msrp was also increased.

Maybe totally irrelevant. But when I tried out their lowest end zen models (zen dac, zen can). Signature and non-signature ones were leagues different to my ears. Although non-sig ones were cheaper by 30-40%, I happily confirm price increases very worthy for both dac and amp in these specific cases. Their use of term 'signature' might not necessarily be shit. That's why I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt for their totls.

Also pinging @iFi audio just in case.

 

We'd have to check whether we have any of these available, but I'm not saying no

 

Random suggestion: Meier Audio Corda Soul dac/amp (and maybe also his Country amp/processing/I don't even know what to call it)

@Jan Meier posts every once in a while on this forum too, and I don't think I would be too far out of line to say he could be considered like the grandfather of headphone crossfeed, among other things.

 

I’ll reach out thank you for the suggestion!

 

There's also one on USAM/head-fi for "cheap" if we go the used route.

 

The HFM EF400 looks like an interesting release. Been wanting to try their R2R DAC.

 

Senn IE600. Very very very very low priority.

 

Auribus Acoustics Everest headphones.

A Stereophile reviewer gave these a quick enthusiastic assessment at CanJam NYC (https://www.stereophile.com/content/dekoni-audio-and-auribus-acoustics).

He wrote, "Despite the relatively modest price, the Everests were among the best-sounding headphones I heard at the show, trailing only the Abyss AB1266 Phi TC Audiophile Reference I heard at the AmpsandSound booth and the new Abyss Diane TC in the Woo/Abyss room."

Priced at $685, the Everest uses dynamic drivers with 90 dB/mW sensitivity and 88 Ohm impedance. Apparently these are a creation by some smart young men. Would like to see how brilliant they are rated by SBAF members.

 

I'd be interested in a ZMF Verite loaner (open or closed) with a variety of pads along with it. I believe we had one before but perhaps there's enough interest for another round. Also pinging @zach915m on this.

 

A ZMF loaner would be cool.