The All Purpose Advice Thread

Discussion in 'Advice Threads' started by purr1n, Sep 26, 2015.

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  1. fastfwd

    fastfwd Friend

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    I like the locking bananas that Blue Jeans sells. $7.25/pair, so slightly more than you wanted to spend, but they're nicer than most of the junk I see for sale, and a LOT less expensive than silliness like WBT. I don't love that the outer shells aren't insulated, but if your binding posts / jacks aren't really close together they'll be fine.
     
  2. señorhifi

    señorhifi Friend

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    EDIT2: no more help is needed. A guy offered me the Wharfedale Diamonds 8.1 for just 50€, so I'll get that :D

    I am looking for a pair of bookshelf speakers or studio monitors to use on my PC desk.

    Budget is 150€ for a pair tops. I am in Europe, Spain to be precise.

    I do have a vintage Philips AH302 amplifier which does 40W into 8Ohms. It's from the very early 80s but still kickin' (which is pretty amazing tbh) and I wanna use it till it finally dies off.

    This is the stuff I have found locally and have literally 0 clue what's best. Can you help me out? Which one would you pick out of these:

    New refurbished:

    Klipsch R41M (150€ a pair)
    Jamo S803 (150€ a pair)
    Teac LS265 (120€ a pair, probs not, looks way to cheap cheap)

    Second hand options:

    Wharfedale Diamond 8.1 (100€ a pair. For some reason there a lot of ads for these. Are these so bad everyone is trying to unload them? Look solid otherwise)
    Wharfedale Crystal 8 (100€ a pair)
    Jamo Studio S60 (80€ a pair)

    Do you have any other suggestions maybe? Something that I should be on the lookout for?

    Thanks in advance for any input!

    EDIT: FWIW, there is also a pair of Yamaha SX E700 for 80€.
     
    Last edited: Aug 27, 2021
  3. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I’m modding orthos and need a DAC that is a good reference so my orthos sound good on lots of other people’s gear. I love the sound of my Yggdrasil A2 and it’s a good reference because it’s a commonly known DAC. ButI’m a bit worried about all the comments about the Yggdrasil A2 being called warm.

    is there a complimentary DAC anyone would recommend to contrast with the Yggdrasil so I could test my orthos on a range of signatures? I was looking at the RME ADI-2 but don’t know much about it. And it’s a bit pricey for a comparison DAC.

    Any suggestions would be welcome!
     
  4. dasman66

    dasman66 Self proclaimed lazy ass - friend

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    Soekris 2541 could fit the bill
     
  5. udin

    udin Acquaintance

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    I recently acquired the Andromeda 2020 and it truly is a stunning IEM, however, I am experiencing the hiss that others have mentioned and am seeking some opinions about some other options than my current gear to reduce this issue. My main amp is the Grace m900 but I also use the Dragonfly Red for the Andromeda. Both of these pair well with the Andromeda sound-wise, with the DF Red perhaps being a little warmer and the Grace a bit more neutral. However, they do seem to have about the same amount of hiss.

    I have considered a number of different options, including the iFi iEMatch+, the iFi Ear Buddy, and the iFi Nano iDSD BL. I realize all of these are iFi products, but I haven't really found other options that were affordable and seemed to be as focused on really sensitive IEM's. I am not really interested in DAP's as most of my listening is desktop-oriented. I have also read various different perspectives on the iEMatch+ and the impact it has on sound quality outside of just attenuating the volume.

    I realize there have been various comments and discussions around the sensitive nature of the Andromeda's and other IEM's but would certainly appreciate it if anyone has some guidance or other gear I haven't considered that would be helpful in this case. While the hiss is not a dealbreaker by any means, I still would like to figure out other options that may help reduce it. Thanks!
     
  6. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    I've got the Ear Buddy. I'm reluctant to be critical of it because I've not given it much use (my DAP is hiss-free with my Andro 2020) and I haven't listened carefully enough to pin down what I don't like about it. It does something, I think, to deaden the sound ever so slightly, making it a bit less lifelike and engaging - a bit flatter, perhaps? It does eliminate the hiss, though.

    Unlike the Ear Buddy, the IEMatch+ gives you a couple of options for "tuning" your Andros: the Andromedas react to different output impedances. Low Z out, below an ohm, makes for a darker, bassier presentation; conversely, a Z out above an ohm makes for a brighter sound. The IEMatch+ has two settings, one at < 2.5 Ohms (High-Sensitivity) and the other at < 1 Ohms (Ultra-Sensitivity). See here for the specs.

    My recommendation is the Lotoo Paw S1 dongle. You can get it from Musicteck, and it's sometimes available for a lower price in "like new" condition (see here). Annoyingly, a lightning cable can only be purchased separately.

    It's excellent with the Andromeda 2020. No hiss. A nice, black background. It doesn't make the Andro 2020 too dark (my guess is that its output impedance is between one and two ohms), and it makes for a fun, engaging sound. You get decent macrodynamics from it - some sources make the Andro 2020 a bit soft, I've found - and it does a decent job of letting the Andros' qualities shine through. It's not particularly resolving though, when compared with my Sony ZX2 DAP.

    It's plenty powerful for the Andromeda but with less sensitive transducers, the Lotoo Paw S1 doesn't do as well when not powered sufficiently; I prefer it out of my laptop over my iPad, which in turn I prefer over my iPhone. You may not find it especially versatile, then. But it does have two gain settings and has the advantage over the Dragonfly Red of allowing you to adjust the volume in very small, precise, incremental amounts.

    It also has a bunch of preset EQ profiles with ridiculous names like "Sweet" and "Dental" which you can ignore or have fun with.
     
  7. udin

    udin Acquaintance

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    Thank you for the response. This is exactly the sort of info I was looking for and your impressions of the ear buddy match some of the critiques I have read elsewhere. While it seems like an easy/cheap option, I don't like the idea of it impacting the sound quality. The Lotoo Paw S1 seems like a great option. Thanks again.
     
  8. louiscipher

    louiscipher New

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    I'm thinking of upgrading DAC from Headamp Pico DAC. If i want more attack, slam and more expansive soundstage, would i better go for Gungnir DS or Multibit? Or maybe something a bit vintage like Theta DS Prebasic II?
     
  9. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    What's your budget and the rest of your chain? upgrading the dac may not provide the big changes that you are hoping for.
     
  10. ColdsnapBry

    ColdsnapBry Almost "Made"

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    I've got the itch to buy another headphone. I have a ZMF Aeolus, SW51+ and Bifrost 2. Any headphone that would fit nice into my collection? I want to hear a Sennheiser HD800s, so was thinking that maybe. I can't deal with any planar seal, so planars are out of the question for me.
     
  11. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    I also have the BF2 and the SW51+. I'm not keen on the HD 800 SDR with this amp because the soundstage's spaciousness decreases significantly and seems to become no larger than that of a Sennheiser HD 600. If that's not a concern for you, it might well be a good pairing (I think I've seen others comment favorably about this combination).

    I've not had the SW51+ for long and am still getting used to it but I'll echo the sentiments of many in the SW51+ thread who loved it with the HD 600. (You might browse that thread to find examples of synergistic pairings). The two really do go well together, and while I'm not all that familiar with the Aeolus, my sense is that the HD 600 would offer a brighter presentation that might make for a nice contrast while still retaining some of the same qualities of the Aeolus, such as the rich mids (I'd be happy for others to correct me about this, though).

    I've also been pleasantly surprised with the SW51+ and the original Focal Clear. I'd wondered if the low impedance of the Clear (55 ohms) would pair poorly with the Zout of the amp (27 ohms on low gain, see here). While there's a bit of a bass boost, it's not overdone, for me. Others might find it too bloomy, perhaps. And the Clear would offer a different presentation than the Aeolus.
     
  12. louiscipher

    louiscipher New

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    Budget around $1000 but i can stretch up a bit to Gungnir MB, rest of my chains are Verite Open and 3ch Beta22

    I'm looking for a very sliiiiight more bass impact and slam ( like 2-3% more maybe ) so big changes is not what I'm aiming for
     
  13. Armaegis

    Armaegis Friend

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    How much does Schiit stuff cost over on your end of the world? I'm not necessarily trying to steer you away from Schiit, but sometimes with import fees and such, that makes the popular options over here less attractive on the other side of the globe. For that kind of money we might be able to help you find better bang for the buck if you tell us what else is available in your region.
     
  14. WoodyLuvr

    WoodyLuvr Friend

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    Concur!

    A new Schiit Audio Gungnir Multibit will cost a lot more over here in SE Asia whether you buy from a local dealer; buy from the closest official Schiit Distributor Headphone Zone in Delhi INDIA (incurring lesser shipping charges but incurring import fees for India and your resident country); or import directly from Schiit Audio USA (incurring higher shipping and importing fees for your resident country).

    New, I have seen the Gungnir Multibit as low as USD$1,700 in Vietnam and as high as USD$2,100 here in Thailand. Used, is not much better... I have seen them as low as USD$1,100 in Indonesia and as high as USD$1,600 here in Thailand which I think is way too expensive for a used audio electronic item residing in the tropics. Also, the local dealers and regional distributor over here are either out-of-stock or a good year or two behind in the models (e.g. I have yet to see a Magni 3+, Magni Heresy, IEMagni, Loki Mini+, Lokius, Modius, Magnius, or Vali 2+ available for sale new anywhere in SE Asia).

    Unfortunately, here in SE Asia our best bet for fairly priced, best bang for the buck, audio electronic brands are either Chinese or Japanese made with Japanese products far and few in between these days.
     
  15. Woland

    Woland Friend

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    Try browsing Carousell Singapore. There's a lot of 2nd hand Schiit there.
     
  16. twinkletoes

    twinkletoes New

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    I can attest to that, theres also a whole lot of other high end stuff. Atleast two DAVEs, a HE90/HEV90, HE60/HEV70 (I remember someone here was looking for a pair), alot of ZMF stuff, including a cocobolo VO and a few Pioneer M-22s of varying condition etc.
     
  17. WoodyLuvr

    WoodyLuvr Friend

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    Apologies, if I was unclear but I was not saying that Schiit and/or even high-end gear isn't available over here in SE Asia but rather that a number of well known NA and/or EU brands are quite expensive over here if bought new (due to importing fees) and if used the pricing is still usually higher than the listed new price at the country of origin. Thus, my point was that pricing drives many of these brands from being cost effective and/or best bang for your buck. Simply the reality of living in SE Asia and being so very close to China.

    Yes, Carousell is a fantastic source for used gear but it really is hit or miss (again, due to second-hand gear residing in the tropics) and most times at exorbitant prices... here are just a few Schiit products available via the link you just provided as follows:

    A used Schiit Magni 3 for SGD200 = USD$150.
    A used Schiit Loki for SGD250 = USD$186.
    A used Schiit Bifrost 2 for SGD1000 = USD$745.​

    Case closed.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2021
  18. Woland

    Woland Friend

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    You're quoting asking prices on stuff that hasn't sold. Well priced stuff comes up often and sells quickly. Asking prices are rarely transaction prices.
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2021
  19. Woland

    Woland Friend

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    Really that's not my experience. Using dropshipping, I paid less for new Schiit than Americans who live in states with sales tax.

    We have better access to boutique brands from Korea and Taiwan than our US and European friends as well.
     
  20. Tachikoma

    Tachikoma Almost "Made"

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    I'm not sure I understand how dropshipping works in this context... care to share a few useful links? Would be nice to have access to new Schiit at reasonable prices.
     
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