The combination of low-impedance and high-sensitivity transducers will often exacerbate this (and such multi-driver BA IEMs are particularly prone to it). But all amplifiers have noise. Some people are more sensitive to it than others. And without proper testing for it (i.e. with a silent-test track) then you’re as likely to be hearing noise from the recording as you are from the amp on the ZX300.
Ohms are not a measure of sensitivity.
I’ve not experienced it myself, but it’s conceivable that a headphone with very high sensitivity (say > 106 dB SPL/mw) but higher impedance (over 100 ohms) may exhibit some perceptible hiss here. But, again, I am FAR more inclined to think that’s just noise on the recording itself.
I have a set of Sennheiser HD580 phones that are about 10 or 12 years old. I seldom use the because
I do a lot of walking with my iPhone and Momentum 2.0s. Since I switched to a 10Xr with no phone
plug, I’ve been searching for a quality adapter. I ordered and received yesterday a Moshi lightening to 2.5mm adapter. The sound (compared to previous ones) was astoundingly better. I ended up just sitting
and listening for a long while then decided to try them with the HD580s. Although I thought initially that
the sound was good, I quickly found that the bottom end was gone. Two songs in particular that have very low but not thumpy bass, Jennifer Warnes: If it be your will and Emmylou Harris: Before believing, had no bass line. I can clearly hear these on my momentums and especially on my speakers with a subwoofer.
Additionally, even though I replaced the phone leads several years ago, I once again have static and
cutting off of channels. So, is this issue common and is it worth pursuing or should I move on to something better.
Chances are the Lightning to headphone adapter you have (I cannot see any posted specs for it) simply doesn’t have enough power to drive the HD580 properly - they’re a high-impedance/moderate sensitivity headphone - not something that works well with inline adapters. Bass will be the first thing to suffer.
This is not at all uncommon with such adapters. Even the better ones are not great matches for the HD580 due to its power needs.
The static/cutting out issue might be the cables on the headphone, or it might be the adapter itself. Only way to know for sure is to try other headphones with the adapter and see what happens.
Maybe the connectors in the headphones are the problem. Even if not, cables eventually fail.
No way to know without trying/measuring it as Yamaha don’t publish specs for the headphone output. Modern receivers usually have lousy headphone outputs, sometimes just taken off the speaker outputs and run through resistors, or using a cheap op-amp. Output impedance is usually and issue and power is rarely significantly better than portable gear.
…
Your original post makes it sound like the lack of bass with the HD580 was something that occurred after switching to the Moshi adapter. If not, then either your sources aren’t up to driving them or you’re expecting more out of them than they’ll deliver.
Momentums are closed-back and much bassier than HD580 anyway.
llg98ljk:
The adapter works great with the Momentums. Also, the cutting out can be induced by moving the wiring plugs at the ear cups.
What bothers me there is that these are the new cables that were supposed to address that issue.
Maybe the connectors in the headphones are the problem. Even if not, cables eventually fail.
llg98ljk:
As far as the 580s, I plugged them into my Yamaha R-N500 receiver that should have enough power to drive those phones?
No way to know without trying/measuring it as Yamaha don’t publish specs for the headphone output. Modern receivers usually have lousy headphone outputs, sometimes just taken off the speaker outputs and run through resistors, or using a cheap op-amp. Output impedance is usually and issue and power is rarely significantly better than portable gear.
…
Your original post makes it sound like the lack of bass with the HD580 was something that occurred after switching to the Moshi adapter. If not, then either your sources aren’t up to driving them or you’re expecting more out of them than they’ll deliver.
Momentums are closed-back and much bassier than HD580 anyway.
@Headfun’s original question was about whether/when a KAAN Cube review (w/ comparison to Sony WM1A) was coming.
I’ve no current plans to review the A&K KANN CUBE. It doesn’t mean it won’t happen … but I do have quite a backlog to get through (I’ve not gotten to the SP1000M, which I’ve had for 5 months now, yet).
When I do get to it, I won’t be able to do a comparison with the Sony WM1A, since I haven’t owned one for more than two years, and I sold my WM1Z on Thursday. At best, any such thoughts, would be based on memory.
Someone correct me if I’m venturing into cuckoo-land by doing this, but it appears that I’ll be having to get another DAP…someone (ok, it was me) left their Opus#1 on the plane when flying out for training. Right now, I’ve got a line on a Cayin N5iiS and AK120ii, each surprisingly right around $350. At that price, is the A&K a no-brainer? This’ll be the first time I get my hands on a A&K DAP and have never played around with Cayin’s gear on any level.
I did really enjoy the Opus#1; running that sucker out of the balanced connection was a real treat on the ears. Battery life (and percentage accuracy) was a major gripe, though. If I should be looking elsewhere than the previous two mentioned, I’m all ears.
Was hoping for a R6 Pro over the R6, but don’t think there’s room for it in the budget. I’ll keep the 100R in mind and start looking into the M11. Thanks!
Decided on the N5iiS thanks to the seller’s extremely fast responses (wasn’t so much with the A&K guy). Might not be as late-and-great as the M11 or R6 Pro, but one of my key decision points was how glowing a review @Torq has been making for the N8; hoping some of that pedigree managed to trickle down. Can also take some of that savings and apply it towards the Meze 99 balanced cables, which seem to finally be back in stock.
Here’s to hoping I don’t have much of an issue trying to get UAPP, Tidal, and Spotify up and running…being able to do offline mode with Tidal would also be a major plus.
I just joined, because I have this specific inquiry.
I’ve been using the Onkyo DP X1 with Mr. Speakers Aeon Closed, with a WyWires Red balanced cable for almost two years. While I’m generally happy with the sound and convenience, I was thinking of upgrading the system in some way. I had a chance to audition the Woo Audio WA8 and WA7 Fireflies DAC/amps at my usual dealer in Waltham, MA, but I wasn’t blown away. I heard greater resolution in song fade-outs, and more vibrance, but it didn’t seem like a $1500 difference. (I admit my hearing is not as sharp as it used to be.)
Can anyone suggest a DAC/amp that would do better than the Onkyo DP X1’s internal circuits?
A&K DAPs have been getting a lot of praise here lately along with the Cayin DAPs, but I’m not a DAP person so I’ll raise the awareness flag to those with more experience. @antdroid, @Torq, @neo_styles… I believe they all recently have experience with new DAPs in all ranges… Good luck and welcome!
Despite @TylersEclectic’s vote of confidence, I only ever heard the very first shipping units of the DP-X1, and that was before they fixed it routing everything the Android audio-stack - so it’s very hard to say.
A lot depends on what you’re expecting out of an upgrade, or what you’re trying to address (either just a vague notion of wanting “something better” vs. something specific).
The AFC need a fair bit of juice to do their thing, and being low-impedance they’re current-hungry. I don’t see specs for voltage swing or current capacity for the DP-X1 so I can’t even guesstimate whether you need more juice than the DP-X1 can provide (in which case just an outboard amp might be the best way to go), or if there is enough power and the differences are going to be more qualitative.
What I can say is that with any of the better dedicated DAPs (say, A&K SR15 and up, and from what I’ve heard about the “fixed” DP-X1 it’d qualify too), that you’re already at a level where, sufficient amplifier power not withstanding, improvements are going to be heavily subject to the law of diminishing returns.
That $1,500 might get you a “20% improvement”, but it probably won’t manage more than that … unless, again, the AFC need more current than the DP-X1 can provide.
llg98ljk: