The All Purpose Advice Thread

Can someone nutshell it for me or point me to a thread or article: What is multibit? What are the advantages of the Schiit Modi MB vs the Modi 3?

 

There is a good impression/discussion thread https://superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/modi-multibit-multibit-for-the-masses.2494/

 

Thanks for the replies. I am hoping to find something with a wider soundstage than the Elex had, which is one reason I am hesitant with the Verum 1.

 

How much space do I need above a Saga (tube) or Vali 2 for ventilation? Each of those would need to sit in a piece of furniture that is fully open on front and back, but it would not sit on top of it. That means there would be a wooden board above it, and I need to specify the required distance. No clue how hot these tubes get, as they would be my first tubes. Thanks for your opinion!

 

Multibit in a nutshell: I think this is a quite easy to read article, although not doing justice to modern delta-sigma designs. But you get the fundamental difference:

http://www.mother-of-tone.com/conversion.htm

 

I'd like to know what a CIEM feels like without having to buy a fully custom IEM. Would getting custom ear protection be a good way to experience this?

https://alclair.com/monitorshop/custom-hearing-protection/

Main reason is because tips keep irritating me and it keeps me from using IEMs for more than 30min.

 

https://snugs.com/ or similar in custom ear tips might be solution for you

 

The ones linked would only tell you what you want to know if they are made of the same material and fit exactly the same as the ciems you would subsequently purchase, including depth of insertion. The ones in the link are silicone, while most ciems are acrylic, so would only tell you what silicone ciems made from the same impression felt like. I have the same problem with iem tips, they make my ear canals itch in very short order. Acrylic ciems finally allowed me to use iems for a matter of hours instead of minutes, though I still feel the need to "rest" my ears for a while eventually. It is the only way for me to listen to music in a helmet though, which is my primary use case, so I put up with it. Good luck.

 

@Cspirou Cosmic Ears has a good illustration of ear canal anatomy and how deep a proper fitting acrylic CIEM will go into the ear canal past the first bend. You don't just pop custom IEMs into your ear: I have to insert mine while twisting 90 degrees to get around the bend. Once seated they are held in place by a suction fit and there is no irritation like you can get with universal tips.

I have worn proper fitting acrylic CIEMs for eight hours with no discomfort. If on the other hand you can't tolerate wearing the foam earplugs you buy at the drugstore you might not be able to adjust to acrylic CIEMs. I'm afraid it is a buy and try situation, you can get less expensive CIEMs for around $500 but they may not give you the sound quality you want. I enjoy my Decas as much as my HD800S and they don't require a $2000+ amplifier: a Vali 2 works just fine.

 

Need an amp primarily for burning in headphones. Cheap and powerful enough to run planars efficiently. Magni 3 or Jds Atom? or Something better/cheaper? I will not be using this for anything else.

 

Surely you must have an old receiver in the basement somewhere? Plug in headphones, set it on your least favourite radio station, walk away for a week.

 

Gave em all away... yeah I know.

 

Magni 3. I had the Magni 3 and it drives the LCD2Cs nicely. Unless you gotta go with that infamous Hifiman model......

 

Short story - you won't feel the texture as soft silicone won't feel like hard acrylic, but yes, it's as reasonably close as you can get under $70. Kind of

Long story -
I have 2 pairs of custom ear plugs and 3 pairs of CIEM, more plugs in past, and no longer have any generic IEM due to irritation in less than 30 min (usually 10 min if not narrow tips, <1 min if big tips or shaped like i-stuff buds). Almost all generics in the past required long narrow foam tips (ex Comply P series). This is most likely due to me having oddly shaped ear canals.

I cannot wear any of my custom plugs for more than 4 hours w/o "feeling" them in the sense that my ears feel warm and can't breathe. Also due to the fact that your ear canal changes shape as you move your jaw, you will always feel a slight resistance or push back in your ears from them as the material is soft and my ears get slightly irritated after a bit. All better if I take them out for 15-30 min.

With CIEMs that are perfectly fitted, I almost forget they are there except for the fact that my ears feel like they need to breathe after a little (kind of like if you wear socks or gloves for too long). Because hard acrylic won't give, I actually don't feel them push back as much and they're more comfortable than silicone plugs (odd, I know). I can wear them for 15 hour flights and only take them out every few hours for 5 min to let my ears breathe When they aren't properly fitted though, way worse than silicone custom plugs as all of the misfitting parts really push into you.

Best fitting CIEMs were both done by UE directly - they have a "laser scanner" that they can use for you if you're somehow able to visit them directly or see them at an event.

 

Thanks for the advices. More than a few people that are similar to me. It seems like acrylic is the way to go. I did find a custom acrylic earplug, but it's $130. A bit steep for me to just try. So looks like it's something I'll just go all-in when the time comes.

 

This is more a weird speaker question, but figure it should still go here.

Foam board speakers cabinets?

I want to dabble with speaker building, having first tried an Overnight Sensations MT kit and am now close to finishing up an amp kit. I have serious space and tooling constraints (i.e. none of either) and will look into one of the several maker spaces in town for cabinet making, but I came across a couple of references to using foam board to mock up speakers cabinets, which is something I could manage in the living room when the kids are in bed.

Is this a workable idea? Foam board does not strike me as having, well, practically any of the structural advantages of wood. I've used it in fairly odd projects before. It's incredibly easy to make things with, surprisingly strong, but by absolutely no means rigid. Will it give a good enough idea of how well a design will work to commit to woodwork or am I dreaming here?

I am thinking of getting some Mark Audio full range drivers and trying the bass reflex designs listed here (https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/markaudio-enclosure-plans). Mark Audio as they are practically local to me- the office is literally 20 minutes from home but I'd still have to order from Shenzhen across the border. Still beats paying to ship 20lb boxes across from the US like I did with the OSMT and Akikita kits though.

 

@JustAnotherRando

Diyaudio has a big thread on it and it's something I've been meaning to try. It's a much smaller investment than wood to get good sound and there's a few comments from people saying they actually prefer the foamcore boards.

For speakers you usually don't want the cabinet to have a sound of it's own. One way to go is with MDF and a lot of bracing. But another way is go super light so the energy gets easily dissipated. If you tap on a foam board, does it really get that loud?

I wouldn't do it for a big threeway, but for something like a TABAQ or frugalhorn I think it's worth trying. Maybe even the OSMT if it can support the weight

 

Hey Folks,

I dont really use in ear headphones very much, more for work and travel but I do have a Schiit dac and amp that I use with my Senn 660s and Beyerdynamic 1990DTs to watch moves, shows, games and music at home.

Im in the ball park of $200-400 for some good sounding IEMs.

IEMs I have been looking at:

Fiio FA7's - Hear great things
Campfire IO - Mixed reviews?
Campfire Orion
MD+ - Nothing but good things.

I have worn bgvp dm6, didnt care for them too much but the firt was good.

Im unsure if there are any others I should be looking at minus these few? Looking for any help!

Thanks in advance friends!

 

might be worth looking into this thread because it seems That JVC FD01 is right at your price point and JVC FD02 is also at your price point (if you are not into modding) https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...vc-fd01-a-new-contender-for-best-dd-iem.6500/

Also this thread: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/shotgunshane%E2%80%99s-iem-custom-and-universal-recommendations-favorites-and-classics.2229/ is a really good starting point for reading in to find a IEM you might like

 

Currently run most audio from a PC. Motherboard only has 1 optical output, no AES or Coaxial outputs. Will have multiple DACs eventually and would like to avoid USB input on these. I imagine the easiest option would be to run an optical splitter? (Based on theory, I imagine that as long as the optical splitter is properly implemented and reliable, correct modulation of light should all be the same and light isn't subject to EM interference from other equipment).

1) Run optical out to an optical splitter like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D1KHWGB
Then run optical to all DACs. Similarly, anyone have an optical splitter they can recommend if it isn't all the same as I guess above?

2) Skip my PC and build or buyer a streamer with multiple optical, coaxial, or AES outputs.

3) There is some other device I can buy and insert into my desktop that I'm not aware of. Avoiding a sound card for now as every one I've seen only has 1 optical out port as the only digital out anyways.