This was my experience as well. I listened to mine for a few weeks without the speedball and thought it sounded pretty fantastic. After adding the speedball, I noticed the bass extend a bit deeper with better definition and texture. Overall more clarity/detailed across the spectrum etc etc. I think the rich soul of the amp that makes it sound great in the first place is still totally there, it’s just taken up a level in technical abilities. Still an absolutely blast to tube roll with and experiment with synergies between input & power tube combinations.
Since you can always revert back to the original, I think the kit is definitely worth trying! I think most would hear an “upgrade”. That being said, I can definitely respect the “if it’s not broke and it sound awesome, leave it alone” approach. It’s definitely more thick/syrupy stock, if that’s your thing.
I like bass heavy music. using skull candy in ears now that have really good bass. bought kph30irc’s with the grado pads that have good midrange and highs, but don’t have low end. what would you all recommend at an entry level pair iem’s that have a little bit of both?
I appreciate the quick response! Faster then a lot of other forums…
I’m currently running off the JDS Atom/Dac stack so power is sufficient I believe. Appreciate the input! A lot of the usage is going to be on tac fps games and what not with obviously spotify, youtube, netflix tossed in. Blessing2 seems more and more like a contender. Do you think Dusk would be decent as well? Huge emphasis on bass isn’t really a big thing for me as it’s not at the top of my list of things I need.
For those genres, the FiiO x crinacle FHE Eclipse might be the way to go. Based on what crinacle has stated, it’s focused on bass but while still maintaining a neutral sound signature. The Blessing 2 Dusk and Dunu SA6 are also super solid.
It seems bass is the theme today. So, I guess I’ll recommend the FiiO x crinacle FHE Eclipse again. For bass heavy genres, I’ve found dynamic driver IEMs to provide more thump and rumble when compared to BA drivers, for what it’s worth.
Welcome smod! Justin seems to be very helpful when it comes to his amps so if there’s any issues with it, you can always give him a call. His number can be found in this forum and many others. I’m sure there’s a way that he’d be able to address your noise issues.
Help with how to think about high-end setup from scratch
Hi! Newbie here (both to the forum and to the world of high-end headphones generally). After reading a nytimes/wirecutter recommendation for ‘audiophile headphones’ i took the plunge on a pair of Dan Clark Noires and the ifi hip dac 2 and i’m hooked.
Was looking to build a one-and-done end-game setup (i.e. no upgrades in the interim or future; no legacy equipment to need to incorporate); lets say ~15k all in . Source material would be primarily CD-comparable (16-bit 44.1khz), fed from usb/computer (do not see super high end players in my future). Headphone-oriented–No need to drive speakers. As of now think i am indifferent between closed and open and do not need a portable headphone as this is 100% home use
Headphones: These will probably be purchased towards the end. Based on what i’ve read on forums, not least the Torq reviews, I’m working around the assumption that RAAL headphones are part of the end-game. Even if things don’t end there, I think preserving that optionality doesn’t result in an overly compromised system Because this is so specialized (and to be able to consider the circumaurals) i’m punting the headphone decision to the end. If RAALs are in the equation it sounds like that probably locks me into the HSA-1b for an amp.
So is the play here then do something like Chord TT2 (possibly plus m-scaler though i suspect that component gets added at the very end if at all). Use that with the noires. wait on the RAAL then if i go that route get that and the HSA1b? This seems to prevent me from being locked into a path based on prior purchases, but would love to hear what i might be missing.
So i guess my questions are:
i) Does this sequence / logic make sense
ii) If i knew i was going SR1A, does that change the calculus? i.e. would it make more sense to do Qutest vs. TT2?
iii) what would others do if they were me
iv) What is the upgrade cycle like? I assume there’s less of a need than say for A/V receivers, especially if i won’t actively be going into 24+bit source. But the Chord products have been out for a few years and everything i just said notwithstanding i’d rather not buy something that is about to be upgraded.
I realize given where i am i’m sure everything will sound good and this is likely overkill for where i am currently, but you only live once. Thanks!
Yes/no. How do you know RAAL will actually be what you’re looking for? Someone else’s endgame doesn’t mean it will be yours. RAAL could actually be the furthest things from what you enjoy. Unfortunately nobody can answer the question “what is endgame for me” except for yourself.
Similar to 1, how do you know Chord is what you want? The dac in TT2 is supposed to be better than qutest but you are also paying for other functionality as well. Do you need the space savings that qutest and TT2 include? Are you able to fit a larger DAC? What makes Chord appealing to you?
Others have done the same and tried to go straight to endgame but that’s really just a fools game. Just like if you were to throw a 16 yr old into an exotic luxury car, they know it’s nice but they honestly don’t know what it offers over a regular car. Will they truly appreciate the handling? Will they truly appreciate the soft touch points and convenience? The audio journey can hardly be enjoyed if you try to get “the best” since that’s really defined by the individual. Some people find RAAL to be amazing while others find it very lackluster.
Upgrade cycle depends on the company. You have chinese companies that upgrade every year. You have Chord that upgrades roughly every 5 years. You have companies like Rockna who has had the Wavedream since 2012 and still make it today. While some people believe digital becomes obsolete ever year (which I disagree with), analog technology has been around for decades and good design will always be good design. If you’re going to be one and done, why does upgrade cycle even matter? Shouldn’t you just buy the best you can afford at this point and time and never look back?
I hope this helps your decision making. I honestly don’t think anyone here can truly answer your questions for you but we can help guide your decision making process. However, without any prior experience, we don’t know your likes, dislikes, restrictions, etc.
I happen to live near an area with quite a few hi-fi stores, and have demoed stuff in local stores. I came away feeling (1) my ears don’t care or I’d fail a blind test, (2) headphone technology has inherent limits and never matches speakers or live, and (3) I’d rather direct my resource elsewhere.
Indifferent between closed and open…well your ears are likely to disagree if you use headphones for a few hours straight. Many top of the line closed models start to sound worse and worse and then become unpleasant.
I demoed the RAAL run from $$$ equipment and absolutely hated it. Again, see @driftingbunnies comments.
Upgrade cycle? Many people are happy with older equipment, with some stuck on $300 Sennheiser HD-600 setups from 20 years ago. They sometimes run these from $500 or less Bottlehead Crack amps or very, very expensive tube amps. Their easy-going smoothness can (for some) outweigh technical potential. YMMV.
Surely we all live once, but a big part of the hobby is HOBBY. Many of us could be happy to freeze if forced to freeze or forced to focus on music over being gearheads.
Thanks for the recommendation! I kind of wanted to see if I can get a jack of all trades master of none type of IEM thus the reason for B2 and SA6. I’m not a very bass heavy guy I don’t mind it but its not on my number one list of things I need if that makes sense.
As unsatisfying as i’m sure this sounds, given the amount of time i will be using them, i’m willing to take the risk of (1) not telling the difference and (3) Its budgeted at a level that isn’t impacting my ability to allocate resource elsewhere. apartment moving (and i guess generally apartment living) probably dictates that a speaker setup shouldn’t be my near-term focus.
fair point. i don’t love how the noires feel after a few hours which i guess is another + for the sr1a. Point taken on wanting to demo (i’m amused by the prospect of just sitting in a showroom for 1+ hour to gauge comfort). But I didn’t think there was really a scenario where someone in my situation would hate something that was praised on these forums but you bring up a good point. And great point as with drifting on upgrade cycle.
thank you again especially as i appreciate how annoying it might be to answer one of these types of questions.
All fair points / critiques. And i realize that its probably somewhat annoying for others to answer what really distills to “tell me what i should get even though i won’t be able to tell the difference or make an informed independent judgment?” So i do greatly appreciate any comments / suggestions.
That said, at the least i’m hoping to at least not overlook a consideration that someone more informed would have or others’ firsthand experiences. Apologies i meant to add that i was looking for a table top only solution so mobility not required for either headphone or dac/amp. To answer why Chord, (and add a parameter) it seems like people that are far more knoledgeable / discriminating like that option. And within a budget ceiling i am willing to optimize for better performance rather than outright bang for buck (which seems to be the main drawback people have with Chord).
But point taken. will my process solve for the theoretical absolute optimal option for me? probably not. But realistically i wouldn’t know what that would be anyways and if most people have generally had good experiences with what i end up with i suspect i’ll be pretty happy in my ignorance. To borrow your analogy, having driven crap cars for most of my life, while that would inform my appreciation for an exotic, i’m sure 16 year old me would have loved riding one.
Thank you again. Your response was very helpful. it sounds like audio upgrade cycle not something i should be overly fixated on assuming my source doesn’t change much from what it is. (vs. A/V where a 5 year cycle is huge i.e. source mtrl, HDMI upgrades, et. al.)
Both the SA6 and B2 Dusk are awesome to my ears, and each a staple in their price bracket. The SA6 would be my pick if you like a slightly more relaxed upper mids with lower midrange warmth; the B2 dusk if you prefer neutral with a bass boost.
I’m not sure what other hobbies you have but from my short life experience, it’s not very difficult to know more than what “reviewers” know. Many a times I will go to websites like wirecutter or google to find “what is the best ___” (i.e. water kettle, usb cable, useless junk). Generally what they recommend is fine and I move on. However when it comes to things that I have an interest in, I find all of the recommendations from popular audiophile publications to not really be in touch with reality. The gear they recommend might be good in comparison to what they have access to but many of the interesting and really good gear comes from more boutique shops that don’t spend a ton of money on marketing and dealer distribution networks.
Basically what I’m trying to say is that even though there are plenty of Chord fanboys out there, there are equally as many that don’t like it. Even if you have the budget, there are better options out there.
Generally audio that isn’t linked to video will have a much longer upgrade cycle because standards like HDMI doesn’t exist. There’s no need for gbps of bandwidth for audio. You can definitely be one and done when it comes to audio as long as you take care of your gear. The issue is it’s nearly impossible to be one and done since there are too many options and endgame is very dependent on the individual.
If you truly wanted to be “one and done”, you can go a few different ways. Here are some sample chains you can look at.
High End DACs:
Holo Audio May
Rockna Wavedream Signature
Bricasti M1se
Amp/headphone pairing:
Enleum amp-23r → Hifiman Susvara or LCD5
DNA Stellaris → Focal Utopia
DNA Stellaris → Sennheiser HD580
Ampsandsound Red October → ZMF headphone
Coda no. 16 → RAAL Sr1a
These are just examples of possible chains you can look at.
I actually ended up getting the B2 regular only because eventually I plan to get the Monarch MK2s. So let’s see how it goes! I appreciate the help and responses though!
This is HUGE. Superb advice from @driftingbunnies. You’re new to the hobby. Quite frankly, you don’t know what you want without experimenting with various setups and climbing the tier level of headphones and gear.
You already have started with an excellent setup with the DCA Noire and the hip-dac 2. If you wanted to make an upgrade, I would go with a more powerful desktop DAC/amp stack to elicit more dynamics from the outstanding Noire – which aren’t the easiest cans to drive – and also future-proof yourself somewhat for power needs. If you insist on something portable, take a look at the new iFi Gryphon, which has more power than the hip-dac.
Otherwise, try different kinds of headphones in the same price range as the Noire. You have a planar-magnetic closed-back with balanced tuning and slightly blunted highs in the Noire. Why not try a kick-ass open-back dynamic with more aggressive mids and treble for contrast and comparison, like the Focal Elex? Or maybe an open-back planar like the fantastic new HiFiMan Edition XS or the HiFiMan Arya?
Audiophilia is a stagecoach journey, not a rocket ride. Best to take it slow and sure, enjoying the sounds along the way. You’ll sharpen your preferred sound signature much better by trying the various driver and back styles available in audiophile headphones, with all of their various tuning.
Plus you’ll learn to enjoy one of the more enjoyable aspects of this hobby to me – buying, selling and trading from fellow enthusiasts in perhaps the most cool hobby community in which I’ve participated.
Actually one of the largest aspects of investment in my own system is the Recording library. As @pk500 I think implied in the above, it provides an opportunity to redescover and savor your favorites with each step of the ladder. We always discover new music, but we only have so many cherished favorites. After we get exhausted of them, listening with an upgraded component starts the journey all over again.
So, I guess I’ll recommend the FiiO x crinacle FHE Eclipse again. For bass heavy genres, I’ve found dynamic driver IEMs to provide more thump and rumble when compared to BA drivers, for what it’s worth.
