Meze Advar IEM’s. From Bloom via Steve. Once you get the ear tips right these rock! Oh yeah, you definitely need the Silver Dragon cables from Moon Audio. They just came out. I really thought the sound was stellar, until I switched out the cables. For the price overall this set up is hard to beat. Sounds like $2k IEM’s.
Great fun, great vibe guys❗️😎Thank you. I am listening right now to Symphonium Meteor so I would just clean up the whole Symphonium table in May2024😆❤️ btw just got the Dita PROJECT-M, kind of magical. No limit dac LAiV Harmony, not sure about the amp😁, budget Geshelli stack ❗️✌️🙋♂️
DX260 is a big improvement in usability over the DX170, and a noticeable improvement in the finer details and imaging, but DX170 is a little more relaxed, so DX260 ends up sounding a bit brighter.
My question remains. What is a good DAP (not dac amp) for DCA E3 on the go? It has to be compact, not super huge like fiio m17, drive E3 to at least 80db without problem. AK SP3k just can't do it.
My E3's just came in a 4 days ago after testing them at my store. And I've been enjoying them! Honestly the most natural, yet cinematic, and atmospheric HP I have ever heard. I like them much more than the Empy 2's or Lyrics. And I own the Meze 109 Primals. The detail and articulation of the E3 matches my Kali IN 5 + WS6.2 studio monitors. Musical, but detailed and articulate. One thing to keep in mind here is it is not about getting to the listening level of 85db, the E3 can be driven with lower power daps to good listening levels, but if under powered, will affect the timbre and presentation of the sound. So it is important to consider the power output of whatever player you choose. If you need an all-in-one device, anything that puts out about 800mw-1watt per channel and above should be plenty for portable. Optimally, you may want 2-3watts+ per channel, at the desktop. On portable devices, you may see specs listed in Vrms instead of Watts. With the E3's 27 Ohms impedence, and 90db per mw sensitivity, anything that puts out 4.7Vrms and above should give you that 800mW. The very minimum being 4.5Vrms (or 750mW per channel). Otherwise if you underpower the E3, you may notice the bass getting softer, mids being more recessed and less detailed, upper mids to treble being brighter, smaller soundstage, etc. Basically everything that was good about the E3 takes a hit. In any case, the Fiio M15S, Astell&Kern SR35, iBasso DX170, Sony NW-ZX707 are a few recent Daps which all have 800mW per channel or higher in 32 Ohms. (Basically anything from A&K or iBasso over $500). Obviously it is difficult to keep the Dap player small and inexpensive while at the same time providing adequate power. For instance the Hiby R6III is nice and compact, but isnt powerful enough to meet our minimum Vrms or Watts spec. And if it were both smaller and more powerful, it would just heat up too much. Another option is to use a phone, tablet, or small dap and pair it with a poweful portable dedicated amp. For instance, I use my ipad, phone, or Cowon daps with the XDuoo XD05 Bal.2 (which offers 7Vrms or 1.5 watts per channel). Just 500mw less than its big brother the XD05 Pro. Of course I am only using balanced connectors, to take advantage of the E3 and XD05 Bal2's low noise/THD. It also can do lossless bluetooth meaning I dont actually have to be tethered to my tablet or phone, while still perfectly powering the E3's. And the amp is small enough to pocket. But like I said, if you just want an all-in-one device, any of the above will work well. And the same spec advice applies to the DCA Expanse or Stealth too, in case you are thinking about them. Take care!
@@nostgeoffhi-fi Wow! Thank you for writing so much. I have a Chord Hugo 2 for my home setup and I wish my portable DAP setup will sound as close as chord Hugo 2 at a budget below 2k. I have my kann alpha before and it will distort for some bass heavy music. Tested kann ultra at store and still not working well. So no more AK DAPs.
I am feeling that Bloom zip-up sweater Steve! You guys should sell some merch.
I also love the iFi Go Blu DAC. For Bluetooth sound Lossless, Ldac , FLAC all hires streaming works great. Small and easy to tote around at the gym.
2 Goats 🐐 🐐 🙌! XE6 does have that special sauce 🤌 good choice Steve
Meze Advar IEM’s. From Bloom via Steve. Once you get the ear tips right these rock! Oh yeah, you definitely need the Silver Dragon cables from Moon Audio. They just came out. I really thought the sound was stellar, until I switched out the cables. For the price overall this set up is hard to beat. Sounds like $2k IEM’s.
For 2024, I would go with Headamp GS-X mkII ($3.3K) + Mcintosh MDA200 ($4K)
Great fun, great vibe guys❗️😎Thank you. I am listening right now to Symphonium Meteor so I would just clean up the whole Symphonium table in May2024😆❤️ btw just got the Dita PROJECT-M, kind of magical. No limit dac LAiV Harmony, not sure about the amp😁, budget Geshelli stack ❗️✌️🙋♂️
Happy Easter to all at Bloom!
How do you find the DX170 compares to the DC260 for sound quality. Is the DX260 worth the extra?
DX260 is a big improvement in usability over the DX170, and a noticeable improvement in the finer details and imaging, but DX170 is a little more relaxed, so DX260 ends up sounding a bit brighter.
Thank you
What do you think of the IBasso D16?
My question remains. What is a good DAP (not dac amp) for DCA E3 on the go? It has to be compact, not super huge like fiio m17, drive E3 to at least 80db without problem. AK SP3k just can't do it.
TLDR;
Fiio M15S, Astell&Kern SR35, iBasso DX170, Sony NW-ZX707 will all work well with the E3. (Continued below)
My E3's just came in a 4 days ago after testing them at my store. And I've been enjoying them! Honestly the most natural, yet cinematic, and atmospheric HP I have ever heard. I like them much more than the Empy 2's or Lyrics. And I own the Meze 109 Primals. The detail and articulation of the E3 matches my Kali IN 5 + WS6.2 studio monitors. Musical, but detailed and articulate.
One thing to keep in mind here is it is not about getting to the listening level of 85db, the E3 can be driven with lower power daps to good listening levels, but if under powered, will affect the timbre and presentation of the sound. So it is important to consider the power output of whatever player you choose.
If you need an all-in-one device, anything that puts out about 800mw-1watt per channel and above should be plenty for portable. Optimally, you may want 2-3watts+ per channel, at the desktop.
On portable devices, you may see specs listed in Vrms instead of Watts. With the E3's 27 Ohms impedence, and 90db per mw sensitivity, anything that puts out 4.7Vrms and above should give you that 800mW. The very minimum being 4.5Vrms (or 750mW per channel). Otherwise if you underpower the E3, you may notice the bass getting softer, mids being more recessed and less detailed, upper mids to treble being brighter, smaller soundstage, etc. Basically everything that was good about the E3 takes a hit.
In any case, the Fiio M15S, Astell&Kern SR35, iBasso DX170, Sony NW-ZX707 are a few recent Daps which all have 800mW per channel or higher in 32 Ohms. (Basically anything from A&K or iBasso over $500).
Obviously it is difficult to keep the Dap player small and inexpensive while at the same time providing adequate power. For instance the Hiby R6III is nice and compact, but isnt powerful enough to meet our minimum Vrms or Watts spec. And if it were both smaller and more powerful, it would just heat up too much.
Another option is to use a phone, tablet, or small dap and pair it with a poweful portable dedicated amp. For instance, I use my ipad, phone, or Cowon daps with the XDuoo XD05 Bal.2 (which offers 7Vrms or 1.5 watts per channel). Just 500mw less than its big brother the XD05 Pro.
Of course I am only using balanced connectors, to take advantage of the E3 and XD05 Bal2's low noise/THD. It also can do lossless bluetooth meaning I dont actually have to be tethered to my tablet or phone, while still perfectly powering the E3's. And the amp is small enough to pocket. But like I said, if you just want an all-in-one device, any of the above will work well. And the same spec advice applies to the DCA Expanse or Stealth too, in case you are thinking about them. Take care!
iBasso DX320 via a 4.4 balanced cable. You’ll need to put gain on high but it sounds good paired with the E3.
@@nostgeoffhi-fi Wow! Thank you for writing so much. I have a Chord Hugo 2 for my home setup and I wish my portable DAP setup will sound as close as chord Hugo 2 at a budget below 2k. I have my kann alpha before and it will distort for some bass heavy music. Tested kann ultra at store and still not working well. So no more AK DAPs.
@@marchood04 What amp module do you have? How does it compare to max version?
Hey Steve, can you please do a review of Xenon 6, and if possible compare them with Raven.
Nice video 😅 In low mid range mojo 2 also good choice
Shanling H5 is better
@mrutunjaytiwari9973 Maybe, i didn't have.