I like the MR, not sure how it would pair with the TT2 because I no longer have mine, but I like it with the Mojo2 and I feel it’s a baby TT2. Could work…
I’ve never tried the Atrium but I bet it would work well with his music and chain (based on what I’ve heard).
Are you looking for something else in the ZMF family? As @Rhodey said, the ZMF Atrium is a nice contrast to the Verite and sounds great on a TT2.
Or are you looking for something completely different?
Decware’s CSP3 OTL starts at $1,439 and has many upgrade options. I went with the Zen Taboo Mk4 (non-OTL, and it loves my Focal Clear), which starts at $2,295. Prepare to wait a couple years to receive anything from them. They are currently shipping Jan 2022 orders with 2,400+ items in the queue.
I toyed with Bottlehead’s higher end kits, but then remembered the Crack build with numerous warnings in the manual and making loud “SNAP” sounds as I tested the wiring with one hand to avoid heart failure from a shock. If you are hardcore to DIY electrical devices that can kill you a hundred different ways go for it…but I’m not… However, there are professional kit builders with storefronts on Etsy and Ebay (example #1; example #2).
In my search I came across Eufonika from Poland. They look like pre-built budget Bottlehead clones and cousins. (Head-fi thread). I found CERN amps when shopping too, and they appear to be a similar competitor. Feliks is clearly the best established and highest end Polish/Eastern European vendor.
You ought to see my spending on other hobbies. I’m disciplined with audio but not so much with other stuff.
I own both DarkVoice 336SE Eufonika H5DS. They share much of the same tube compatibility. Refined performance of both are in the same comparative ballpark in stark contrast to the easily discernible elevated performance of my over $1,000 tube amps. The Eufonika H5DS has is a slight edge of performance over the DarkVoice 336SE. Also, the tube buzzing issues of the DarkVoice 336SE are nonexistent in the Eufonika H5DS.
@Gjh_Vbk I think the reason you’re not getting many responses is that pretty much everyone on this forum prioritizes sound quality over highest possible volume.
I’d recommend reading through the True Wireless Earphones thread for ideas.
On the other hand, if you’re struggling to get enough volume, perhaps what you really need is a Bluetooth dongle (i.e. portable dac/amp), and then you can plug some cheap wired IEMs into that.
I don’t know if you can get a dongle for less than $100 but will be able buy wired IEMs to plug into it that are more than likely to sound better than your $100 wireless earbuds. @SenyorC and others have written many many reviews of budget IEMs, at $20 or less.
Thanks- Nuance. From what I read seems like Focal utopia is not that different from verite? Agree sounds like Modhouse will not be a good match. Meze 2 one to try.
Cheers
M
Thanks PaisleyUnderground. Yes Atrium is on my radar- but as you suggest I would rather something completely different.
Thnaks
M
Unwise. You are asking for hearing loss and tinnitus.
I was a dumbass when younger and recently. Have attended rock shows in stadiums and clubs for the last 40 years. Have sang in local gigging rock bands for the last 12. Didn’t get serious about hearing protection until about nine years ago. Too late.
I suffer from high-frequency hearing loss and pretty severe tinnitus. A constant, sharp ringing 24/7/365. I can cope with it, but you do NOT want this sensation. You’ll never have true silence again in your life, as there is no cure for tinnitus.
I was a dumbass. Don’t follow my lead and become a fellow dumbass. Treat your hearing with care and respect. Once it’s gone, you’ll never get it back. And if you blast volume into your ears, you WILL suffer hearing loss and tinnitus.
It’s only a matter of when, not if.
Advice: Buy wireless earbuds or cans with noise canceling. You won’t hear anything around you, no one around you will hear your tunes, and you won’t need to turn up the volume as much to drown external sound. The noise canceling will do that trick for you without destroying your ears.
I’m considering getting my feet wet with an upgraded used Eufonika. Can’t find a used Echo right now. Do you think it’s worth it at $4C ? Enough of an upgrade over the Valhalla?
I have never listened to a Valhalla. So unfortunately, I wont be able to make that comparison.
However, my Eufonika H5DS, Darkvoice 336SE, and Little Dot MK III fulfil the middle ground niche for FUN tube sound. All three deliver effective tube experience that satisfies my ears itch for glass. I absolutely LOVE all three of them! We all are familiar with your penchant (or moto) to spend less and to find contentedness with budget minded products. I feel that The Eufonika could absolutely do that for you. It may not be able to reproduce the detail that a $1,000 tube amp will produce, but the tube experience that I think you might be looking for will be there. Compatible tubes are not rare and finding tube combinations was a huge part of the fun for me. Yes, it is worth $400. I say go for it.
I’m looking for under $500 IEMs and I can describe my reaction to two I’v listened to recently and hopefully that can give a baseline for further comparisons.
I have relatively small ear canals and some IEMs are too large to fit without pain (even with the smallest tips). But the two here, the Shure 535 and the Senn IE 400 fit my ears comfortably.
The Shure 535. Burned it in for 3 days with rock music, then gave it 3 days of listening to rock, classical, and jazz. It’s very hot in the presence region and a bit shrill on some recordings such as solo violin. The presence region can be very exciting on some recordings but can also be fatiguing. It was a little light on deep bass (I used the yellow memory foam tips).
Overall: probably not going to work due to fatiguing sound unless it changes with further burn-in.
Senn IE 400: just got it today so no burn-in. Maybe it will change. Impression while listening to audiophile jazz recordings is that it’s not very extended up top. It also has a bit recessed midrange which can be frustrating as it doesn’t quite deliver the full beauty of classical instruments and can be less musical that the Shure. Great bass even without burn-in. Another plus is that it’s not peaky anywhere… solo classical instruments are portrayed without shrillness in any register. Overall, I think I would like something with more extension on top (unless it changes) and more beauty/musicality.
As my electronics, I use an iPhone 12 → lightning to USB cable → iFi Silencer → Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt.
Based on these impressions, are there any other roughly $500 or below IEMs that would satisfy me more?
Yeah, well. The real consideration is not so much the amp, but how much I’ll want to then pick up something like a Senn 800s or a ZMF with all of their 300 ohm models. I don’t think I have to worry about wanting Beyers.
And I do occasionally make exceptions to my penchant, I did spring for the RAD-0
It’s just that I have other expensive tastes, including the good seats at concerts.
If that is the case, I suggest you pass over looking for a tube amp and instead jump straight to a ZMF. The ZMF Aeolus fell within my spending cap and has become top of the heap of my headphone collection.
Both of those IEMs have a recession in the upper mids, so I recommend something with a little more presence in that region. Have you tried the Sennheiser IE600? It’s currently on sale for $500.
Penon’s FAN 2 is a nice hybrid with a rich and detailed midrange thanks to a capable Sonion balanced armature driver. The tuning is excellent.
Haven’t tried the Senn IE600. I’ll try it.
In the meantime I have another question. I plugged the Shure. 535 and the Senn IE400 into my high-end system (headphone amp the Hifiman EF5, custom modded) to get a better feel for what they are really doing. It became obvious that both have midrange and treble resonances. They are just low resolution compared to my over-the-ear headphones, like the AKG K712 or the LCD-2. I’m wondering if this is a function of the shape of my ear canal. Maybe no IEM will satisfy me in this regard. Have you ever heard of something like this?
You might want to try a deep insertion, canal-type IEM, like the Etymotic ER series. It will bypass any ear anatomy issues and place the nozzle much closer to the ear drum. Try it with the smallest dual-flange ear tips first, and see if the comfort and isolation deliver a good experience. If not, try a larger size, possibly with Westone tips instead of flange types.
Thanks for the advice. Do you know where I can try one with the possibility of return if I don’t like it? The Penon website doesn’t explicitly state you can’t return it, but the only reasons they allow you to check have to do with damaged or DOA. The fact they don’t state their return policy seems like they are at least going to charge a restocking fee if not completely disallow returning a working product.
I can’t do deep insertion… my ear canals are too sensitive. A while back I had custom IEMs made and those didn’t work for me because they were too deep. This was a long time ago and I forget the brand.
Really, I’m just wondering if anyone has ever heard of resonances within the ear canal that become prominent when using IEMs. Especially midrange around 500 Hz let’s say. I get this a little bit with over-the-ear headphones but mostly it’s minor and I can ignore it. With an EQ I was able to establish the frequency. I forget exactly but it was around 500. (I don’t use an EQ for normal audiophile listening, however. Was just checking.)
Not sure about returns to Penon for reasons other than warranty. I had a problem with one of the ISN IEMs, but they reimbursed the return USPS postage cost.
I’m not a medical professional, but for the sensitivity to a part of the frequency response area you describe, you might want to consult with an otolaryngologist to see if you might have some kind of mild hearing issue. Wouldn’t want that to get any worse if left undiagnosed.
Well, I’ve found a Eufonik H7m, comes with a few extra tubes, upgrades. Looks a bit different than what I see on the website currently. @Wenbinbin2010 has it now, but is selling due to a move. Found it on Head-Fi, and am encouraging the current owner to show up here again…
Price is right, we’ll see if I like it or pass it on. Or go for that ZMF someday.