Super Best Audio Friends

It’s all about context. I've previously mentioned I liked Tripath Class "T" amplifiers, which are another variation of Class D. The advantages of Class D amplifiers are threefold: they are lightweight, highly efficient, and cheap. They don't require massive power transformers or a dozens of output devices to generate significant power. Class D products being sold at exorbitant prices; there simply isn't enough stuff in these amplifiers to justify such costs. If you're interested, check out this discussion for more insights: Schiit Vidar vs. NC502M

A comparable example from the automotive world would be the Acura Integra Type S, which dealers are selling for around $60,000. Seriously? A front-wheel-drive, four-cylinder Honda variant at that price? That’s outrageous.

Now, let's talk about the Fosi Audio ZA3. It features the latest and greatest TPA3255 monolithic amplifier chip from Texas Instruments. The Fosi Audio ZA3 exemplifies Class D done right. It delivers impressive power (180W at 4 ohms), generates virtually no heat, is light and compact, and is incredibly affordable at $129 from Apos.

Many audio amplifiers have the following gain configuration:


The potentiometer or stepped attenuator resistance stability can influence the system low level gain accuracy and residual noise.

A selection of four volume controls will be examined for resistance stability and compared to a stable laboratory reference standard resistor:
https://www.ietlabs.com/esi-sr1-calibration-resistor.html

Background information on resistors and measurements:
https://www.vishay.com/docs/28771/basics.pdf

Additional background information may be found in this IEC standard:
IEC 60195 Method of measurement of current noise generated in fixed resistors...

Here’s the situation: the projector is mounted on the back wall, paired with an Apple TV, while on the opposite side, a DAC connects to two JBL monitors. Ideally, I’d run an optical cable up behind the back wall, across the ceiling, and back down to the projector wall, but there’s a hitch—the front wall is made of brick! I’ve broken several cheap drill bits trying to secure the screen and eventually had to use expensive carbide ones to complete the task.



Even though affordable wireless "Best Buy" audio solutions do exist, I’d prefer to steer clear of them. My long-term plan includes integrating a Syn system, adding a center channel, upgrading the speakers, and incorporating surround sound. My question is whether there’s a solution for wirelessly transmitting 2-channel Toslink audio from the Apple TV.

As much as a part of me does indeed want to just hate on the Arya Organic (henceforth abbreviated to AO), if I'm being really fair about it, the AO is not particularly bad. That being said, I also do feel the AO have some great shortfalls and still have some of the characteristics that really annoyed me about the original HE1000. But overall, as a package, I can't say the Arya Organic is a modern Hifiman that sucks; in some ways, it's the modern, super-thin diaphragm Hifiman sound implemented fairly well.



If you've heard the modern Hifimans, you know what the AO roughly sounds like; transients are fast but "soft", and overall has an airy/ethereal sound not unlike some electrostats. There is a little bit of the bouncy bass here, but not too bad and can be somewhat controlled better by certain amps. The treble in some ways actually surprised me the most; while there is still a little hash and splash and rasp, it's not TOO offensive to the point where I ripped the headphones off.

Well, I gave my impressions, and I purchased, and here it is. Measurements because why not?

Check out this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3QwCSqWsBU

Short summary:
Cameron (aka Golden Sound or @GoldenOne) reveals that dCS has threatened legal action over his negative review of their dac (Bartok), which our community should also attention to because it's about the ethics of such threats and their impact on honest product criticism in the audio industry.

Longer summary:
1. Cameron first introduces the situation with explaining some background:
- Cameron published a review of the dCS Bartok DAC in Dec 2021 that was mostly negative.
- In Oct 2023, dCS expressed concerns about comments he made about their Lina DAC, which he clarified were taken out of context.
- Recently, Cameron received a legal threat from dCS demanding he remove or heavily amend his Bartok review within 10 days or face a lawsuit.

2. The he discusses dCS's specific complaints:
- dCS claims Bartok is not a DS dac, which is not true.
- dCS claims Bartok offers way more filers than his review finds (6), which are indeed more than dCS's own documents lol.
- dCS claims Cameron misdescribe clocks that Bartok takes from external clock inputs. --> He acknowledges and corrected this mistake.
- Cameron defends his statements about dsd upsampling and ultrasonic noise, supported by measurements and others' opinion.
- He demonstrates that dsd upsampling is indeed the default mode on factory reset, contrary to dCS's claim.
- He addresses other technical points raised by dCS.

3. Finally he adds some relevant thoughts, including:
- Cameron contrasts DCS's approach with more constructive responses from other manufacturers to negative reviews.
- He wraps up with emphasizing the importance of honest, unbiased reviews and commitment to serving consumers rather than manufacturers.

The Grell OAE1 headphones are a new product designed by Axel Grell, formerly the chief engineer at Sennheiser and now the founder/owner of Grell Audio. They feature an unconventional structure where the drivers are positioned significantly in front of and away from the ears. This design choice appears to be aimed at minimizing pinna interactions and potentially enhancing spatial representation of sound. The intention seems to be to achieve a more natural and realistic audio reproduction.



Although I was not 100% sure if his claims are legit, as a huge fan of non-traditional acoustic designs, I was highly tempted to get my hands on the pair, expecting something at least different if not necessarily better. After weeks of waiting after pre-order was placed, I finally received the product this morning and spent approximately 6 hours evaluating them...

Since I planned to spend more than half of my time in San Antonio during the summer, setting up a work-from-home arrangement there seemed logical. I needed a desk, a good keyboard, and a mouse to augment my travelling laptop. I invested in a nice desk (details to follow in a review). For the mouse, I opted for a budget-friendly, lightweight Coolermaster model, deciding against splurging on a Glorious O. While I already had a basic keyboard without switches back in Corpus, this time I didn't want to deal with buying and installing switches. That's when I recalled Keychron keyboards, recommended by one of my favorite YouTube personalities, Keybored. I figured these mechanical keyboards were ready to use out of the box yet customizable later to fit my preferences.

After a brief Amazon search, I found several models available. Favoring TKL designs, I opted for the higher-end Keycron K8 Pro. It boasts programmable RGB backlighting, Gateron Brown Switches, PBT keycaps, a sturdy aluminum frame, support for both MacOS and Windows, and Bluetooth Wireless—something I initially overlooked but ended up finding quite convenient.

Welcome to this first episode of scrapheap stories, or build log if you will, documenting how I am going from this junk box:
Into something like this:



Q: So what am I looking at?
A: End of 2019 I started the Bill Of Materials for my ß22 headphone amp, which I completed as pictured in plastic IKEA box early 2020. It is a fully functional 2-board, passive ground configuration powered by a single σ22 and controlled by a no-name stepped attenuator. I never got around to boxing it up. Not in a small part due to being impatient to listen to my handiworks, and knowing how much time & effort it took to previously nicely box up a Hypex UcD180HG HxR speaker amp. Following that I had some excursions into Singxer SA-1, MCTH & Eufonika H5 and H7 territories. It has been collecting dust in my garage for the two years since.

I was interested in hearing the Bakoon as the successor, Enleum AMP 23-R, has received positive reviews and I am curious about it's interesting design and possibilities as an AIO amp.



I initially tried the Bakoon with my Freya+ in front as I do with all the other amps, but it sounded really off. In this configuration the Bakoon is connected to the Yggydrasil via SE so they may limit performance.

Quirks
The labels for the inputs and outputs are on the bottom of the chassis so if you can't remember which speaker out is + or - you have to flip it over. And they are not color coded like the rca inputs. To turn on the unit you can use the remote button or spin the volume knob quickly clockwise. The volume control knob is free to spin like a modern car stereo knob and does not have a set min/max. To get to a usable volume, I have to spin the knob 3 or so revolutions or click the remote 20 times. Not awful, but it resets when you change inputs or turn the unit off so you have to do it all again. What was a quirk quickly turned into an annoyance by the end of my time with it.

Truthear Gate
MSRP: $18.99

The unit reviewed here was provided by Shenzhen Audio
https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/truthear-gate-dynamic-driver-in-ear-headphone

Truthear is known for their bang for buck sound quality, and the Gate is their newest and most budget oriented set, replacing the discontinued Hola.



Where the Hola was an 11mm dynamic with LCP diaphragm, the Gate is a 10mm dynamic with carbon LCP diaphragm. Impedance and sensitivity are nearly the same between the two drivers. That being said, I do find the Gate to play slightly louder than the Hola at the same volume level on the same device.

Look what the cat dragged in? (I had no idea a Caldera Closed exists until recently - I have still yet to review the Atrium Closed).



Tonally, the Caldera Closed sounds like a combination of the Massdrop Fostex TH-X00 and an Audeze. There's a hint of the TH-X00's W frequency response and this is combined with a dose of Audeze's recessed mids (not as extreme). The lows are not voluminous, but there's some solid mid-bass punch going on. Other aspects such as timbre and transients are like the Caldera Open. Suffice to say that ZMF tuning is quite different from Harmon, so you if love the Harmon target (whatever version or moving target it's up to now), best to go elsewhere.

From memory, I feel the Caldera Closed does have a better sense of heft or solidity in the lows with marginally better articulation compared to the Open version. Maybe it's the cups? Still the Caldera Closed falls in the category of "orthos for dynamics lovers". It doesn't quite have the vivid mode presentation of modern megabuck orthos (Empyrean, Susususvara, Abyss, etc.)