skullguise

So I took a couple days off work last and this week, and went up to a couple audio stores in NH. Took my X3 with me, and did some listening through some mid-level phones. Carl is right, there IS some frequency anomalies with the headphone out driving some full size cans. The mid-bass was especially bloated on some. Confirmed it by running line out through a headphone amp to the same phones. In some cases, the sound seemed a bit more spacious; some of it could be the mid-bass pushing forward and making it seem like the mids were down in level; but I still heard some good detail, so it was interesting..... The phones I tried: KEF M500 - a little fat and soft sounding at times, but actually fairly musical Paradigm H15 - similar signature to the KEF, but not as bloated in the midbass overall on some songs PSB M4U-1 - thought I'd like these more, given my like for the NAD's that were also designed with Mr. PSB's help. But these were a little closed in sounding, light in the bass. The mids were pretty good, though, and I enjoyed the female vocals I heard a fair bit. When I switched line out from X3 to the headphone amp, the balance was better.... B&W P3 and P5 - these sounded pretty decent with the X3; the synergy was complimentary enough to make it pretty fun sounding, even if not truly accurate. Still not as strong in the highs as I would have liked, but the midbass bloat wasn't bad for the most part Grado SR-80 - a little sluggish sounding, the midbass bloat bothered me a bit more. Just don't think the X3 could drive these well enough....seemed to have better air in the highs than some others, though So there it is, FWIW. I'll have to bring these into work and try them for a longer listen with the NAD's. But ultimately, I'm liking them the best so far with the Etymotic IEM's..... BTW, for anyone in the MA/NH area, Fidelis has moved from Derry NH to northern Nashua NH. Off Rt 3 at (I think this is the right exit) Exit 6, Rt 101A. Nicer spread, easy parking..... The other place I went to is Audio-Video Therapy on Daniel Webster, right next to Best Buy. Some of the guys there were from the old Ensemble store....good folks.

Wayne, thank goodness you're not an Accountant by trade.....you'd have a good 1/3 to 1/2 the year in "critical" mode..... Enjoy your empty day.

Yeah, an ugly little start to winter precipitation in New England. Pushed aside (twice) some wet snow and slush today & tonight....our driveway is on an incline so added some sand in case there is some freezing overnight...

Stop posting, and get back to work! Great to hear of you doing what you like to do, and are immensely good at (sorry grammar police). May this be the start of many projects to come!

He is very cute Iain, may he have a long, happy, and healthy time with you!

I'll keep my Geek Out order, but indeed this thing has taken on a large and ugly life.....

Feeling better? Hope so!

I'm a bit with Peter, can't drink like I once could. But I will echo the awesomeness praise!

Nice, Wayne. The announcers were a little goofy, but looked like fun overall; liked the lights on the boats, too.

Alex, I wouldn't really use the term spicy....maybe zesty.....but definitely good-tasting!

Thanks all! Another low-key (too old for this party shit) but good birthday. Went to my favorite seafood place and had my traditional birthday dinner. Also brought a flask with me so I could enjoy some Yamazaki 12 instead of the crap (or uber-expensive) bourbon or scotch they offer. The mess below is a delicious meal called Bayou Catfish, from a local two-restaurant "chain" called Joe Fish. The description: "Catfish sautéed in a cajun cream sauce, with andouille sausage, baby shrimp, chopped tomatoes and spinach. Served over linguine"

Happy Birthday, Nooh Yawkah!

Tina Guo - Eternity

New Bushmills/Grado ambassador?

Peter, if it helps at all - could be remote - please feel free to Link In with me, only Todd Samost there. If anything, maybe some of my connections may be able to help....

Good thoughts, Carl....I still haven't tried mine out with a lot of different phones. Briefly plugged in the NAD's and a pair of A-T M50S's, and did get the sense indeed that the Ety's did better, but don't remember the frequency variations as much as you report. A slight darker sound overall, but I wouldn't say to the extremes in mids and up that you experienced. I also used it with headphone out in my car (radio is cheap car radio with AUX in), and liked it a lot better than FM or my iPod plugged in. One specific comparison I made: an ALAC rip of my Anna Calvi s/t CD, onto an iPod Classic 80G, and line out to radio. Not recorded super well, but also have a 24/44.1 FLAC file of it. Even on the POS car radio, the vocals were clearer from the Fio, as well as some of the percussion. Where I am enjoying this thing the most, though, is using the hi-rez files via the digital out into a Neko D-100 Mk II DAC, then into my Lunchbox II or Schiit Vali amp (this amp is another good story). I have been thoroughly enjoying this compact setup with Senn 600's pretty much nightly..... I plan on taking the Fio with me when I visit a stereo store: a nice Black Cat digital cable I have with adapters makes this plug and play with any DAC having a BNC or coax input. So it sounds like there's some similarity in experience, though maybe not to the levels of bad you heard. I like the fact that this has very good sound and is completely portable, but can function like a home hi-rez transport as well. BTW, still think the interface is not great at all, but as mentioned elsewhere it doesn't bother me the way I use it.....

RIP Ozzy...cherish the memories, Iain.....

May today be smooth sailing all the way...enjoy!

Happy Birthday Haj! Hope it is/was a great day!

Just back from my Thanksgivukkah celebration: Turkey & Stuffing next to Potato Latkes and Brisket. Major yummage, though, and I'm quite full and happy. Happy everything celebrated to all HC.

Dave's not here......

Sorry to hear of dental nightmares....my dad was my dentist growing up, so never had fear or a bad experience. Still practices, and my sister is a hygienist. But the office is just far enough away that it takes up a whole day to visit, so i go local now. It's like my dad's office, a bit old school (but with modern tools) and full of decorum that was popular in the 1970's...... Been lucky that, even though I've needed work, it was done pain-free, even without novocaine. First time I had it was for a shallow filling and I asked my dad to give me some because I was having my wisdom teeth out in a couple weeks (did local for that). I might be one of the few screwballs who actually enjoyed his wisdom teeth experience! Jacob, that is kind of cool info, re: hard teeth and not harboring the bacteria....

Have a beer. And more beer. And a great birthday!

If we can work the schedule, sure on all accounts!

That's great! I need to find my pic of my cat with the same style! Cross between lion and poodle!