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Jmunandar
174
Mar 1, 2018
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I got in on this drop, and have been looking for a budget DAP. I've been eyeing on the Fiio X1 ii, Shanling m1, and the HIDIZS AP60 ii. Any opinions on these DAP's and/or recommendations on other DAP's?
shane55
15
Mar 2, 2018
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JmunandarI have the HIDIZS AP60 II, and it's a remarkable bargain. For the cost, the sound is outstanding, very good UI and features. Have had it a few months, and have zero issues. There are only minor issues (like sorting playlists) that I would change, but M3u lists are very easily imported. Great little player.
FOBean
125
Mar 7, 2018
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JmunandarI have the Sony NW-A35 Walkman and love it! Drives my Primo 8 IEM's without a HP Amp and the sound is top notch! I'm JUST listening to my 24bit FLAC Recordings with it and I'm in heaven with the combo 👍😇🎧
The Sony doesn't have a balanced output though, if that's what you're into! Take a look at the new FiiO Q1 mark II DAC/HP Amp and with the Sony NW-A35, that should be an awesome match and would give you both the regular 3.5mm single-ended output, as well as the 2.5mm TRRS balanced output as well! In fact, I'm probably going to grab the FiiO Q1 II for myself here soon just for the balanced output!
The Sony doesn't have a balanced output though, if that's what you're into! Take a look at the new FiiO Q1 mark II DAC/HP Amp and with the Sony NW-A35, that should be an awesome match and would give you both the regular 3.5mm single-ended output, as well as the 2.5mm TRRS balanced output as well! In fact, I'm probably going to grab the FiiO Q1 II for myself here soon just for the balanced output!
Jmunandar
174
Mar 7, 2018
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FOBeanYeah, that Sony Walkman is out of my price range lol, but thanks for the recommendation. My gf also doesn't want me to buy anymore audio gear for now so this won't be an issue anymore :/
FOBean
125
Mar 7, 2018
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JmunandarCompletely understand! You don't want to piss off your girlfriend either LoL 😁
If and when you want a dedicated DAP, the Sony NW-A35 Walkman is actually at the low end of the DAP market, since some DAP's can cost as much as $1k+, like the higher end Sony Walkman's and an Astell Kern DAP, etc. And all you're really getting with the more expensive Sony that are around $1,200/each is a balanced output! You can achieve basically the same thing by getting the NW-A35 Walkman and the new FiiO Q1 mark II DAC/HP Amp, which has a balanced output, along with the Single ended 3.5mm standard output. So for around $200 for the NW-A35 and another $100 for the FiiO Q1 II, so $300-ish total, you're getting basically the same thing as the really expensive DAP's IMO 😎 That's a helluva lot cheaper than buying the Sony Walkman's that cost $1,200 just for the balanced output!
Good luck on your search, and I'm sure that the EDC3's will suit your needs just fine! Nuforce has an amazing bang for your buck, and you should be able to listen to them with just your phone, and still notice a big upgrade from some cheaper IEM's/earbuds!
If and when you want a dedicated DAP, the Sony NW-A35 Walkman is actually at the low end of the DAP market, since some DAP's can cost as much as $1k+, like the higher end Sony Walkman's and an Astell Kern DAP, etc. And all you're really getting with the more expensive Sony that are around $1,200/each is a balanced output! You can achieve basically the same thing by getting the NW-A35 Walkman and the new FiiO Q1 mark II DAC/HP Amp, which has a balanced output, along with the Single ended 3.5mm standard output. So for around $200 for the NW-A35 and another $100 for the FiiO Q1 II, so $300-ish total, you're getting basically the same thing as the really expensive DAP's IMO 😎 That's a helluva lot cheaper than buying the Sony Walkman's that cost $1,200 just for the balanced output!
Good luck on your search, and I'm sure that the EDC3's will suit your needs just fine! Nuforce has an amazing bang for your buck, and you should be able to listen to them with just your phone, and still notice a big upgrade from some cheaper IEM's/earbuds!
FOBean
125
Mar 19, 2018
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gemmoglockUnfortunately I'm no help to you since I haven't heard the EDC3's yet😥
I'm hoping to grab them if and when they're a daily drop like the original EDC's are right now.
I've since upgraded to some Westone UM Pro 30 IEM's, and I think I'm going to grab some Westone W40'S or W50'S here soon. So my IEM search is pretty close to being done, and I might be selling some of my other IEM's for a good price and in great shape! I still LOVE the Primo 8 IEM's though, and it'll be really hard to sell them, since they sound awesome, especially for $150. But for now my daily drivers are the UM Pro 30's and the Primo 8's, and I'm very happy with both. Although I like the Westone's a little bit more because they have better bass/low-end.
But still, $100 for a (3) BA Driver setup is insane and I'm sure that they sound great like the other Nuforce IEM's I've heard.
I'm hoping to grab them if and when they're a daily drop like the original EDC's are right now.
I've since upgraded to some Westone UM Pro 30 IEM's, and I think I'm going to grab some Westone W40'S or W50'S here soon. So my IEM search is pretty close to being done, and I might be selling some of my other IEM's for a good price and in great shape! I still LOVE the Primo 8 IEM's though, and it'll be really hard to sell them, since they sound awesome, especially for $150. But for now my daily drivers are the UM Pro 30's and the Primo 8's, and I'm very happy with both. Although I like the Westone's a little bit more because they have better bass/low-end.
But still, $100 for a (3) BA Driver setup is insane and I'm sure that they sound great like the other Nuforce IEM's I've heard.
gemmoglock
63
Mar 21, 2018
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FOBeanThanks! How has the treble been for your other Nuforce IEMs? Just worried the extension isn't enough for violins and other high registers.
FOBean
125
Mar 21, 2018
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gemmoglockWell I actually really like the treble extension of the EDC's and Primo 8's. The Primo 8's have awesome mids and the treble is almost as good. They Definitely can reach those high notes without being sibilant or too shrilly IMO. I honestly haven't been using the EDC's too much lately since I got the Primo 8's and Westone UM Pro 30 IEM's. But mainly just because I'm only listening to my 24 bit FLACs of live Recordings I've made myself, and the original EDC's have a rather low sensitivity of 90db, so I need to use my FiiO E11K HP Amp to get them loud enough. But if you're listening to regular music that's been compressed a lot, you shouldn't have that problem. The Primo 8 have a rather High sensitivity of 118 db and the Westone UM Pro 30's have a really high sensitivity of 124db, so I don't need my FiiO E11K HP Amp to listen to those Straight out of my Sony NW-A35 Walkman, and they get loud enough on their own for my listening setup!
My HEM 2 IEM's should be here this week, so I'll let you know how those stack up to the EDC's and Primo 8's, once I get them and listen to them for a while! I'm not sure if they'll need burned in as much as the EDC's/Primo 8's, so we'll see what happens with them in the next week or two 👍
One thing to note though, is that the Nuforce IEM's usually need burned in for awhile before they start sounding their best. So if you're not completely thrilled with them out of the box, break them in for a few days or so before you start to criticize them. It took me around 40+ hours to get the Primo 8's and EDC's burned in properly before I thought that they sounded awesome. As always, YMMV 😉🎧
For whatever reason, my Westone UM Pro 30's didn't really need burned in before they sounded amazing, as they sounded that way right out of the box!
So I suggest burning them in for awhile, and I bet you can hear a difference! And I've always been a burn in skeptic, but I'm a believer now LoL 😁
My HEM 2 IEM's should be here this week, so I'll let you know how those stack up to the EDC's and Primo 8's, once I get them and listen to them for a while! I'm not sure if they'll need burned in as much as the EDC's/Primo 8's, so we'll see what happens with them in the next week or two 👍
One thing to note though, is that the Nuforce IEM's usually need burned in for awhile before they start sounding their best. So if you're not completely thrilled with them out of the box, break them in for a few days or so before you start to criticize them. It took me around 40+ hours to get the Primo 8's and EDC's burned in properly before I thought that they sounded awesome. As always, YMMV 😉🎧
For whatever reason, my Westone UM Pro 30's didn't really need burned in before they sounded amazing, as they sounded that way right out of the box!
So I suggest burning them in for awhile, and I bet you can hear a difference! And I've always been a burn in skeptic, but I'm a believer now LoL 😁
gemmoglock
63
Mar 31, 2018
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FOBeanJust curious have you heard the HD600 before? I just demoed and found the FR quite nice, so I was wondering how the Primo 8 compares. I'm cross shopping Primo 8 with the UE 900, Brainwavz B400 and anything I see haha. Found the Massdrop Plus treble a touch smooth and lacking in air/extension.
FOBean
125
Mar 31, 2018
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gemmoglockHey Gemmoglock, hope all is well with you!
Regarding the other headphones and IEM's you mentioned, I've never heard any of those personally, so I'm afraid that I'm not much help to you there!
However, if you want my OPINION, I would take a serious look at the Westone UM Pro 30 (First Generation) IEM's, on sale through B+H and Sweetwater for a couple of more days for only $250, compared to their regular price of $400. I bought my first pair of them 3 weeks ago (first generation), and loved them so much, that I just bought a pair of the UM Pro 30 (Second Generation) for the full price of $400.
They sound Absolutely amazing IMO, and are very smooth across the whole frequency spectrum, while having awesome low-end/bass (but without being too bassy or overpowering), and have clear and nice mids for voices and vocals, and just enough high-end extension that they're not the least bit sibilant (20Hz>18kHz frequency response), at least for my listening sources and needs! They're also very dynamic sounding too, and just sound RIGHT to me for all of my live recordings. Just a joy to listen to, and beyond their sound, they're extremely comfortable to wear for hours and hours of listening, with a great fit/seal/isolation!
I also just purchased a Linum Bax G2 MMCX Cable for my Westone's and they honestly sound even better with that cable, which I wasn't even sure was possible! The cable also dramatically improved my Primo 8 too, and I never expected such a drastic change from just an upgraded MMCX Cable.
Linum Bax G2 MMCX Cable (G2 version with the Right Angle 3.5mm connector ONLY available overseas, so I bought Straight from the manufacturer aka Estron)
https://www.linum.dk/products/linum-g2-bax/#
If you can't afford the sale for the first generation UM Pro 30's for $250, I completely understand! But I've been so pleased with mine that I'm selling my Nuforce Primo 8 IEM's right now, and just keeping my EDC IEM's as a backup, to my backup pair of the first generation UM Pro 30's LoL 😁
Here's a link to the UM Pro 30's on sale for $250 just for a few more days!
B+H until midnight of 3/31 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1002502-REG/westone_78516_triple_driver_stereo_with.html
Sweetwater until 4/2 https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UMPro30--westone-um-pro-30-monitor-earphones-clear-previous-generation
And even though I've never heard the UM Pro 10 & 20 IEM's, I'm sure that they sound great too, and they might be more in line with the budget you may have!
UM Pro 10 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1002498-REG/westone_78514_single_driver_stereo_with.html
UM Pro 20 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1233290-REG/westone_78488_um_pro20.html
Sorry for posting links to Westone IEM's in a Nuforce webpage, but I was just giving you my opinion on what I think that you'd like! If this wasn't right of me, I'll gladly remove my post!
And I am probably listening to different music and sources than 99.99% of you, since I ONLY listen to my 24bit FLACs of LIVE Recordings that I've made over the last 20+ years, so please take my recommendations with a grain of salt! The main reason that I love the Westone UM Pro 30 IEM's so much, other than their sound, is because they have an extremely high sensitivity of 124db, which is the highest that I've EVER seen of ANY IEM's! That means that my IEM's get LOUD enough on their own coming out of my Sony NW-A35 Walkman, that I don't need to use a HP Amp to get them loud enough!
That said, I Loved the sound of my Nuforce IEM's, and if they had a higher sensitivity, I'd most definitely be keeping them😉😎👍🎧
I hope that my post helps you in some way, and doesn't just confuse you even more LoL 😁 Whew that was a long post!
Regarding the other headphones and IEM's you mentioned, I've never heard any of those personally, so I'm afraid that I'm not much help to you there!
However, if you want my OPINION, I would take a serious look at the Westone UM Pro 30 (First Generation) IEM's, on sale through B+H and Sweetwater for a couple of more days for only $250, compared to their regular price of $400. I bought my first pair of them 3 weeks ago (first generation), and loved them so much, that I just bought a pair of the UM Pro 30 (Second Generation) for the full price of $400.
They sound Absolutely amazing IMO, and are very smooth across the whole frequency spectrum, while having awesome low-end/bass (but without being too bassy or overpowering), and have clear and nice mids for voices and vocals, and just enough high-end extension that they're not the least bit sibilant (20Hz>18kHz frequency response), at least for my listening sources and needs! They're also very dynamic sounding too, and just sound RIGHT to me for all of my live recordings. Just a joy to listen to, and beyond their sound, they're extremely comfortable to wear for hours and hours of listening, with a great fit/seal/isolation!
I also just purchased a Linum Bax G2 MMCX Cable for my Westone's and they honestly sound even better with that cable, which I wasn't even sure was possible! The cable also dramatically improved my Primo 8 too, and I never expected such a drastic change from just an upgraded MMCX Cable.
Linum Bax G2 MMCX Cable (G2 version with the Right Angle 3.5mm connector ONLY available overseas, so I bought Straight from the manufacturer aka Estron)
https://www.linum.dk/products/linum-g2-bax/#
If you can't afford the sale for the first generation UM Pro 30's for $250, I completely understand! But I've been so pleased with mine that I'm selling my Nuforce Primo 8 IEM's right now, and just keeping my EDC IEM's as a backup, to my backup pair of the first generation UM Pro 30's LoL 😁
Here's a link to the UM Pro 30's on sale for $250 just for a few more days!
B+H until midnight of 3/31 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1002502-REG/westone_78516_triple_driver_stereo_with.html
Sweetwater until 4/2 https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/UMPro30--westone-um-pro-30-monitor-earphones-clear-previous-generation
And even though I've never heard the UM Pro 10 & 20 IEM's, I'm sure that they sound great too, and they might be more in line with the budget you may have!
UM Pro 10 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1002498-REG/westone_78514_single_driver_stereo_with.html
UM Pro 20 https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1233290-REG/westone_78488_um_pro20.html
Sorry for posting links to Westone IEM's in a Nuforce webpage, but I was just giving you my opinion on what I think that you'd like! If this wasn't right of me, I'll gladly remove my post!
And I am probably listening to different music and sources than 99.99% of you, since I ONLY listen to my 24bit FLACs of LIVE Recordings that I've made over the last 20+ years, so please take my recommendations with a grain of salt! The main reason that I love the Westone UM Pro 30 IEM's so much, other than their sound, is because they have an extremely high sensitivity of 124db, which is the highest that I've EVER seen of ANY IEM's! That means that my IEM's get LOUD enough on their own coming out of my Sony NW-A35 Walkman, that I don't need to use a HP Amp to get them loud enough!
That said, I Loved the sound of my Nuforce IEM's, and if they had a higher sensitivity, I'd most definitely be keeping them😉😎👍🎧
I hope that my post helps you in some way, and doesn't just confuse you even more LoL 😁 Whew that was a long post!
gemmoglock
63
Mar 31, 2018
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FOBeanThanks for the detailed post, I'll definitely check them out :)
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