SBAF Wishlist for 2021 - Petition to MOTs

Discussion in 'Leaderboard, Overboard, and Deals' started by purr1n, Jan 15, 2021.

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UNLIMITED votes. Check to tell Santa what you want in 2021.

  1. Fostex T50RP (Drop Fostex T-X0 II)

    16.5%
  2. iFi Portable Roon Endpoint

    14.9%
  3. Schiit Sabreius

    24.7%
  4. Schiit MagnIEM or Geshelli Archel IEM

    15.5%
  5. Schiit "Multius" and/or affordable NOS

    37.6%
  6. Soekris DAC with DIY digital filters

    10.3%
  7. Pi2 Design or Allo Idiot-Proof Ready-To-Go RPi/AES Streamer

    24.7%
  8. Sennheiser HE90 Resurrection

    30.4%
  9. Sennheiser "HD850"

    63.4%
  10. RAAL Requisite Headphone Version of SR1A

    18.0%
  11. Fixed Topping L30 that won't kill headphones

    2.1%
  12. More 0.000x% THD 110db+ SINAD Nested Feedback Composite Amplifiers

    3.1%
  13. John Yang of Topping / SMSL to be more gracious to his competitors and victims of his amps exploding

    16.5%
  14. Schiit Saga S (with balanced)

    13.4%
  15. iFi Zen DAC Signature (available outside of Drop)

    4.6%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Tachikoma

    Tachikoma Almost "Made"

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    I wish they'd just start making the SR-5 and SR-X again. Load them up with pro bias drivers too. I still think both of these oldies wipe the floor with midfi headphones, and offer excitement that none of their upper range headphones can (including Lambdas).

    There is the Nectar Hive though, which looks like a souped up version of the old Stax round driver.
     
  2. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I agree with many already suggested.

    I would like to add:

    a CA Solaris with the sound of the SE Solaris or Solaris 2020 Limited Edition (not the small Solaris 2020 sound - my least favorite of all Solaris’s.). But tuned to sound neutral out of zero output impedance sources, less sensitive and a flat impedance curve.

    The second 2 are likely not possible because I think the unique sound of his iem’s is probably tied to high sensitivity and wacky impedance and he would also probably have done this already if he could. But this is a wishlist so I’m wishing!

    the first is definitely possible so I’d at least like to see that. His iem’s should sound neutral straight out of the 789 or an iPod.

    I have his ALO Pilot and I was hoping it was tuned to make his iem’s sound neutral but it’s just another zero output impedance sound. Bassy. I have yet to evaluate it with iem’s that sound good with zero output impedance.

    ———————-

    A better iOS app for UPNP. Mconnect sucks. So does Volumio. A few tweaks to the UI of either one would make them so much better. And make music listening with the Pi2AES so much better.

    I bought a cheap android phone just to try bubbleupnp but it won’t download any apps and I’m android stupid. So iOS app please.

    ———————

    The ability to add tags to artists in Tidal and might as well add Qobuz to that as well. So I don’t have to browse an endless list of artists. It’s so frustrating and I wind up listening to a less diverse set of artists because I can’t navigate the huge list. Tags would allow users to break down their list of artists into shorter lists that are organized in whatever way makes sense to them. For example there are many times I don’t want to listen to metal or rock because I have a headache or just woke up or whatever. I want instrumental ambient type music. I’d love to be able to have tags like this. A country tag for when I’m driving in the county or whenever. A metal tag, a rock tag for other times, a classic rock tag etc. would totally transform my experience with streaming music.

    ———————-

    I wish Cavalli partnered with a better company that didn’t sacrifice his designs for the cheapest possible price. I wish they were a bit more expensive and had the same internal design and components as his original designs but made in bulk and distributed properly with better chassis designs so they’d sell better and be cheaper. I’d love a liquid crimson for 500-700$ ish. Or up to 1k I guess if necessary.

    no not the Monoprice Platinum with channel imbalances etc.
     
  3. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    Dear Beyerdynamics,

    I love wearing your headphones, but I hate listening to your headphones. Please fix.
     
  4. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I might add a suggestion for @Michael Kelly

    1) add a printed assembly guide with pictures to your Pi2AES package if someone buys the Pi2AES and the case. This could be done cheaply with a printing company like www.psprint.com I would even be willing to help for free. Or take pictures for free. But psprint has preset drag and drop layouts that should make this easy.

    2) offer pre-assembled units at a slightly higher price.

    I’m not sure @Michael Kelly can do anything about the complicated setup with internet jargon settings I believe that’s the raspberry pi or moode/volumio. But the first two I think would be good for customers and expand his business.

    And detailed instructions for setting up MoOde and Volumio would be good to add to the build instructions. With a guide to the proper settings as well. I recently had one of my Pi2AES stop working and @loadexfa borrowed it and I just had some jargon settings wrong. I didn’t have dingleberry pro selected and a couple other things that were too jargony for me. Without @loadexfa ’s help I wouldn’t have a Pi2AES setup. I’m not stupid by any means either I just don’t know or care to know any of the internet jargon.
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2021
  5. señorhifi

    señorhifi Friend

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    I'd like to have a headphone with the tonality of the HD650 but with better bass extension, actually wide soundstage (a la K700) and good imaging, that doesn't cost a gazillion european dollars. Not happening, I know :(

    I'd also like for somebody to start offering entry level headphone amps and DACs in EU at the same price as they go for in the US. A Magni 3+ costs 115£ on Shiit's EU side + shipping. That's almost 150€ total, while in the US the thing is around 110$ (90€) including shipping. Numbers are approximate, but I am overpaying around 50€ for a Magni 3 compared to what they cost in the US. A Magni/Modi Stack costs 200$ (165€), while in the EU it's 230£ (250€). A Modius here is 250€ (300$) and an Yggdrasil, 3300$.

    I wish somebody would start a company like Shiit called Piis, who make similar stuff but in the EU. Main reason why Topping is so popular here, is because they are cheap and on par with US prices.
     
  6. señorhifi

    señorhifi Friend

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    Oh another one: I wish the guy from Verum Audio wouldn't have been such an idiot (I mean Jesus, what a fiasco) and took his business seriously. I was about to buy a Verum headphone, but then shit hit the fan bad and I passed.
     
  7. crazychile

    crazychile Eastern Iowa's Spiciest Pepper

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    @iFi audio , I’d like to see something like the Zen DAC Signature available without using Drop, and NO built in headphone amp. Use the extra space to give it an RCA or BNC input in addition to USB. Include the power supply, although it wouldn’t have to be the fancy iPower wart. That could be added later if someone wants to upgrade. I don’t even care about the Zen chassis. It could be a simple block for all I care.

    I love Schiit but would like to try some <$250 dacs that aren’t Chinesium dumpster fires as a contrasting flavor to my Yggdrasil.
     
  8. sphinxvc

    sphinxvc Gear Master (retired)

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    It's hard to think of anything I want/need, since: The decision to clear the decks

    But if I think real hard, a transparent active filter with optional dipole compensation for a low frequency system.

    I doubt any manufacturer gets behind this, but maybe some DIY-focused person makes us a design.
     
  9. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    My wish for 2021 is to have really great customers who enjoy our products and are very forgiving of our mistakes... Wait, we already have that!

    So to show our gratitude and to prove we listen (sometimes) we will commit to making two new products this spring. The first will be a small box (88mm x 110mm x 29mm) with the RPI CM4 compute module, PCIe SSD (eNVME 2280) plus PI2AES circuitry. The only limitation is it won't have all the outputs, just RCA and opto, plus either I2S over HDMI or balanced AES (but via a 6.35mm jack with supplied adapter like our 502DAC). We will also have PI HDMI (just one), ethernet and SMA jack for Wi-Fi/Bluetooth on the back, and two USB2.0 sockets on the front.

    The second product will have all of the above plus the XLR balanced and I2S over HDMI. It will also have a 24-bit DAC and HP Amp. Looking at using a modular approach to allow different DAC's such as AKM. PCM and ESS, and different HP amps, including hybrid tube amp. Finally it will have a 5" MIPI 800x480 w/cap touch to be fully compatible with the PI 7".

    Software is TBD, but likely we will have pre-built images for Volumio, Moode and Ropieee. Others based on feedback may also be supported.

    Note that I will be dependent upon getting the CM4 modules in some modest numbers and getting them with Wi-Fi/BT. Right now CM4's are available in small quantities, but with out Wi-Fi/BT. We could use an external dongle for the initial rollout if we have to.

    What say you all? Maybe I should start a new thread for this?
     
  10. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    Please do start a new thread for this!
     
  11. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    Which forum would you suggest? Thanks.
     
  12. Yethal

    Yethal Facebook Friend

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  13. edd

    edd Almost "Made"

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    i second this. My preferred iteration would be:
    - inputs: 1 XLR and 1 RCA
    - outputs: 1 XLR and 2 (or more?) RCA
    - selectable input AND output
    - stepped attenuator
    - remote
    - no tubes
     
  14. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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  15. Baten

    Baten Friend

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    This especially sounds super interesting, love modular stuff to play around with; awesome.
     
  16. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    Just like every year, a sub 1k single DD with close enough to TOTL technicalities and a balanced, neutral/slightly warm tuning.
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2021
  17. Yethal

    Yethal Facebook Friend

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    Also what you may consider doing is selling Pi2AES prebuilt with the power supply and microsd card for folks who just want a high quality streamer without having to assemble the unit themselves and fiddle with volumio (for a fee of course).
     
  18. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Anyone heard the CA Vega 2020 or Dorado 2020? I’m guessing the lack of enthusiasm means they don’t tickle this itch.
     
  19. Aelms

    Aelms Facebook Friend

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    This came to mind when I read about the Freya S in Saga box idea a while back.

    I'd love to see Schiit make a dedicated headphone/speaker control system box. Basically a Ragnarok without the power amp/headphone amp functionality in a smaller box, but with the benefits of single/balanced conversion preamp functionality through Nexus, having a passive relay-switched volume control to use over potentiometers of other headphone amps and being able to interface with both headphones and speakers from a single box. I imagine it'll be a bit tricky to make mode switching between using it as a preamp and as passive volume control for headphones intuitive, and also to physically differentiate between inputs from DACs and from other headphone amps.

    Also, rather than a credit card remote, I'd love to use a USB-powered remote control with Fulla 3/Hel form factor. Instead of volume up/down buttons, an upward facing motorised volume knob that updates on startup. Reduces remote clutter - it just sits on a table connected to a computer/phone charger - and no need for batteries. Bonus points if it can be flashed to work with future products.
     
  20. Deep Funk

    Deep Funk Deep thoughts - Friend

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    By March this year my cash-flow should be okay again. December was hard. My phone was almost dead and decent smartphones cost money.

    After getting a spare HD250 II Linear and parts I will plan ahead to turn the T50RP mark whatever into a tasty bass-head headphone. Just for the fun of it.
     

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