Created: iBasso PB5 Osprey Balanced Dual NuTube Portable Amplifier Discussion
I just bought the lower priced FF1 model and it was just okay. I prefer the Yincrow X6 and Apple Earpods for ear buds. Hope the FF5 is good though! Curious to hear your thoughts
It does sound very open, and more on the reference side. When I put them, bass is there but I end up wanting more after a couple of minutes. It has a pleasant sound though.
I think the preferred of their lineup is the FF3 – more on the energetic side. However, the latter has a closed design and I really wanted the MMCX interface.
I’m not hyped to go after other designs since positional variance is really tricky with these earbuds. Someday I will find a way to get even more bass out of it (without EQ). One can actually get boomy levels when “glueing” the drivers in the ear canal. And this is what I’m looking for.
For the time being, this is how I have been wearing it. Among all my headphones and IEMs (and eartips), this is the only true “transducer disappearing experience”.
FF5 with the FD7 cable
The only gripe I have with this package is the stock cable – but that is addressed now.
Got a package from Canada yesterday
Just started listening so impressions will be posted in my system tread but I can tell they are different.
Mike
Really interested to hear your thoughts on them! I’ve kept tabs on Plunge for quite a long time but I’ve yet to hear anything from them.
Oh these sound gorgeous. Just got the SA6 MK2 in. Don’t know what some of the reviews are talking about because I greatly prefer these over the original SA6. Easily beat my Monarch MK2 and have detail almost as good as the Helios. The sound is very convincing of having a dynamic driver, especially with the wonderful S&S tips. And they’re great off anything. Even an apple dongle. But their ability to scale is tremendous and pairing them with Korg NuTubes on the DX320 is absolutely awesome! Pretty amazing all rounder for any genre.
I know this is just inviting more jokes about my hifi system being “complete”, but you didn’t expect me to live with the famously terribly hifiman stock cable did you? lol
I don’t put much stock in sonic differences between cables (although I am open minded), but I figured if ever there was going to be a time to go all in with a “high end” cable, Susvara is it. Dug around quite a bit and decided I like the look of Norne. Ordered a Vykari hybrid cable, but the clear sleeve version was out of stock (contrary to what the site said at the time), so Trevor was kind enough to offer to hook me up with a sleeved version, to my specs, which I have the option to swap for the new “v2” clear version as soon as it is available (in a few weeks?). He even threw in a mysterious “RnD demo” for me to try out the meantime.
A really good Schiit is ALWAYS welcome.
I wasn’t expecting much going from stock ZMF (not much different than my Wywires Red) but the Norne was amazing. Immediate improvements, so glad I went w Trevor.
I don’t have Norne, but I had a similar reaction with Arctic Cables, both Talos v2 and Aegis
They also make excellent cables.
In preparation for the Zähl HM1, I went ahead and picked up:
As @chrisnyc75 has mentioned, it sound pretty great on the DNA Stellaris. I can’t wait to hear it on the HM1, which should arrive in August if I am not mistaken (@taronlissimore ??!! ).
Electronica sounds nuts on the Susvara! I love it. I know, as Darko Audio pointed out, electronica sounds good on most equipment because we don’t have good reference for what it is supposed to sound like.
And, yeah, @chrisnyc75 you are my brother in audiophilia. We have similar tastes in gear and music. My current chain is
Digital:
Qobuz via HQPlayer > Supra Excalibur USB > Holo Audio May KTE > Supra balanced > DNA Stellaris > Susvara | Utopia | LCD-5 | HD-800
Analog:
Rega P10 > PS Audio Stellar
Power: PS Audio
And of course a lot of music was purchased over the last year. Here’s some of the digital:
That Trever Horn Blu-Ray is audiophile gold. Top notch recording and great music. Demo disc.
Oooh!
How is the new mat?