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RareAirs
156
Feb 22, 2018
How do these stack up against the sennheiser IE800? Was thinking about those or the sony xba z5 for the same price
jaydunndiddit
3262
Feb 22, 2018
RareAirsFrom a review I read, unless you're into to classical and the like and want more air and extension up-top, the Lyra is more 'musical' with the beefier low end. Both are great it just depends on your music choices.
RareAirs
156
Feb 22, 2018
jaydunndidditThanks for the quick reply. I like aucostic music+ Christian worship/some hip hop as well as music like snarky puppy which is all instruments from a group of 12 musicians so I guess it is instrumental music. I have the UE900s and am looking for an upgrade with $600 being my max budget so I couldn’t find the akg k3003i new online for less than $650 for that so I think for $500 these will be a nice upgrade and value compared to other $500 iems
Edit: I stream lossless through tidal so I use my iPhone 7 and am wondering what a good dac/amp combo under $500 for portable use would be best for sensitivty iems. New fiio q5 mark iii for $350 that is made for iPhones like the Q1 Mark II($99) or should I get the chord mojo but may not work as seemless with no Headphone jack iPhones i heard that camera lightning to USB adapter for iPhones no longer work with ios11
jaydunndiddit
3262
Feb 22, 2018
RareAirsOn the amp/dac, I like the ifi nano iDSD black label at $199. It also supports Tidal MQA via a firmware update. It has a feature called 'IEMatch' and a black noise floor with no hissing or anything else. I bought it for use with my Shure 846 (and future Andromeda purchase) as they're notorious for having a stupidly low impedance. The nano can also power some larger cans as well but I wouldn't use it specifically for that. if you need something for 150/300/600 ohm cans, you should look at the iFi micro black label since it has much more power but it clocks in at around $550. Supports all the same formats as the nano and has a ton of other extra features. If you're on a budget, I've heard pretty good things about the Fiio Q1 mk2 but only if you're planning to use balanced cables with it. My other alternative would be the Oppo Ha-2SE at ~$300. It may not pair well with brighter phones as it can make things too bright. Otherwise, it's a great piece of kit as well.
RareAirs
156
Feb 22, 2018
jaydunndidditIt will be used for IEMS only so I’m thinking that ifi nano for the iem match as well as MQA will be my best bet. However with the lightning to camera kit for iPhone since no headphone jack might be a hassle for on the go use to fit in my pocket because it looks a lot bulkier than Q1. I know the Q1 Mark II is really made for iphone and I don’t need the extra power I just don’t want any hiss but I have no plan to use the balanced output and is only $99
GuyInPittsburgh
509
Feb 22, 2018
RareAirsYou can never go wrong with a chord mojo. The only thing that I've ever considered to be in its league is the ifi micro black label. But, with the introduction of the ifi nano IDSD black label I think given the price difference between the micro BL it's a very formidable option. Since you stream tidal the nano iDSD BL supports MQA so it's really worth a look. You could even take the savings and apply it towards the k300i's that you want. The camera connection kit still works to support usb audio as long as it is the genuine apple version. Just about all of the knockoffs stopped working under iOS 10 or 11. I would spend the extra ten bucks and get the version that allows you to charge your phone while using USB audio. I use mine with the mojo all the time without a problem.
Personally, I would stay away from the Fiio Q5 simply because it is too new. If you take a look at the forums on the fiio website there are a lot of irritated customers whose X5iii, X7, X7ii or X3iii doesn't work the way it's supposed to. Fiio's standard answer is that it will work in a future firmware version. Some issues have dragged on for over a year with no foreseeable solution. That said, I have no experience with the new Q5 but it just seems that lately they tend to be premature to market and slow to fix issues that should never have been a problem in the first place.
Good luck!
RareAirs
156
Feb 22, 2018
GuyInPittsburghYeah thank you I looked for the lightning to usb camera kit by Apple that lets you charge and it is $36 lol. i really am leaning towards the ifi nano because I did join this Lyra II drop. The only thing is that camera kit to another male to male usb cable to plug into the ifi nano seems cumbersome and not pocket friendly unless I get a 1 foot usb cable and hold the ifi nano in my hand
jaydunndiddit
3262
Feb 22, 2018
RareAirsIt is a wee bit chunky but overall it's rather small. It would def fit better in your back pocket than your front. Unless you wear skinny jeans in which case you're screwed either way.
RareAirs
156
Feb 22, 2018
jaydunndidditLol no skinny jeans here! I wish the ifi nano had bluetooth like my sound blaster e3 which is small light and has a built in clip on the back so very nice for portable use but I think I’m losing sound quality from the Bluetooth compression
Imabae
135
Feb 23, 2018
RareAirsOne more vote for the Nano iDSD BL! I also considered the Mojo, but it’s 2.5x the price...
jefe32
149
Feb 23, 2018
RareAirsIf you wanted a dac with Bluetooth capabilities, there is the Centrance Blue dac (phone is connected via Bluetooth to the Blue Dac and your iems wired connected to the Blue dac) or the Mytek Clef (shipping at the end of the month, and same concept).
RareAirs
156
Feb 23, 2018
jefe32But won’t I lose some of the sound file from the bluetooth compression?
jefe32
149
Feb 23, 2018
RareAirsReally depends on what type of file you are playing. I doubt most people can tell an mp3/aac via Bluetooth vs wired.
jaydunndiddit
3262
Feb 23, 2018
RareAirsYes. It is also very device dependent since codecs aren't universal across manufacturers. If it were wireless via WiFi I'd say you'd never notice but BT has its own quirks and artifacts vs wired especially if distance is an issue/concern.
GuyInPittsburgh
509
Feb 23, 2018
RareAirsCheck ebay, you can find the genuine apple camera connection dongle a lot cheaper. That's where I got mine. The box was beaten to hell but the adapter was brand new. I paid less than I would have paid for the older version of the adapter at best buy. It's been working like a champ ever since.
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