Dang, then 90% of 2 channel users are degraded. You also only proved my point, just get a WANDLA or use source side client volume if you're married to digital volume control.

So phone, USBC to the unit will consider it an audio device and output?

This is essential. My windows won't stream apple music hires, but my phone absolutely will. If it's constrained to 48khz that will be a real shame. Tidal/Qobuz will work. Roon ready it is not however.

333.50 USD 👀🤯

I also would compare some things others describe as "intimate" as at the ear. This won't ever trick you into believing something is behind you or knocking at your door 😅. 3-blob (senn) 30 degree toed in. Behind the eyes (in your head) Elbow wide. Actually holographic. Spherical but...

My 👏🏼 brother 👏🏼 we can tell you the most esoteric, expensive, exotic cables all day.... but it doesn't matter. Cables aren't tone controls, sorry to burst the bubble. Buy your audio jewelry at a price you can live with. It's Prestige and bragging rights to have a Raphael or First Times...

Why though? Because it has become a standard option? There's no practical or logical reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater because a pre-amp is required before power amps. This feature is merely convenient for iem users at the desktop to get more travel out if the amp pot. Go look...

R2R Dac + Tube Pre + TOTL power amp class A 👏🏼 The Tube buffer DAC's like the Pagoda are cool in that you can upgrade the chip with unicorn gold crown chips and Tube roll your buffer stage, but that's alot of work(research and tracking sales) and money for being limited to red book rates.

If you're a speakers guy. Trifecta will be your cup of tea. RN6 is super HD with all the frequency ranges at the party. You can run between the modules for taste as well. I've heard both and want a trifecta as my next purchase. Edit: I'll add the Rn6 is the most end game unit I've heard thus...

I feel like I MUST order these now. Who do you go through in the states for em?

It's near field-like. Not particularly wide, not particularly behind your eyeballs. Decent width but it's not giving open back. On par with Andromeda, not at the level of Trifecta.

A POLARIS V2?

It's a big step up from the Maestro Mini/Scarlet. I was on the Scarlet tour and sent it on its way after 2 days 🤭. The Evo is fantastic and has its in-betweeners with the Raven. I like more bass so I went Evo and still snagged a launch edition sealed 2 years on. It's a leap over the Legend X in...

For looks and a lot of money 😉 is the cost worth a dubious delta.

Titan is the way. Scarlet was a bass meme for too much money (I say that with the LX and Evo). Maestro SE/Grand is a big step up (for lots more money and I would go custom that route)

The coaxial Rn6/electron12 cable is no slouch 🤣 we are talking the last % of ergonomics here not significant differences. Even in this comparison, the ear hooks put the Rn6/e12 cable over the top then you defer to clear jacket vs smoked jacket for visuals.

Yes. What I forgot to address with NOS redbook; 44.1/48khz may not roll off egregiously early depending in implementation but it will always have aliasing requiring "hi-res" files or upsampling for the worried about this to push all aliasing images well beyond audible FR as well as mitiging...

Ergonomics. Stock Cable all the way. Especially for its construction, the materials are a flex.

🗿 this is the way

Better will require another couple of Kilo-bucks. Different? There's a whole bunch. Fir e10, Campfire Bonnyville are two I've recently heard visiting both headquarters 🤭 the Moon Rover is very reference, not enough bass for me but super cool, limited and neutral with technicalities.

Fir OEM or 24C LTD is the way

I was referring to the human perception of jitter. There are many claims of night and day preferences which can be reduced to purchase validation. There's some OKAY and affordable DDC offerings. There's music tailored word clocks which will run you 4k to pair a DDC/clock combo. There's the...

If one claims to appreciate harmonics beyond 20khz as appreciable to the experience, yes. Digressing into snake oil purchase justications down that rabbit hole which lends itself to religious beliefs rather than the realm of audio reproduction is neither productive nor appropriate here. I...

There's going to be unit variation within a couple dB but you'd need an audio analyzer not the human ear Mk1

This is where I'd say just get the Stellar Horizon.