[Lurk650]

What sort of ‘burn-in’ time do you guys recommend for the 300? It already sounds good to me outta the box, but I was a bit curious as to it sounding even better with time?

It's a DAP. Just use it. I've never ever heard burn in from any of my DAPs.

 

[capnjack]

It's a DAP. Just use it. I've never ever heard burn in from any of my DAPs.

I intend to.

 

[capnjack]

Any particular iems you guys are recommending to pair with this?
I’m trying out and liking the Trinity Icarus III, Vyrus II and Hifiman Re-400.

 

[theUKMrT]

What sort of ‘burn-in’ time do you guys recommend for the 300? It already sounds good to me outta the box, but I was a bit curious as to it sounding even better with time?

Couldn't say how long it takes, but it definitely gets better. Bought mine a year ago & I thought it sounded a bit brittle & bright initially, but that settled a lot (or my brain got used to it).

Think you made the right choice choosing the XDP300r over the N5ii. I got the Cayin recently as I find - although it's also improved from new - the poor battery life on the XDP300r is a bit frustrating. Whilst the Cayin is good, the Pioneer player sounds a lot more sophisticated - it's airier & more detailed with a bigger soundstage and better extension at both extremes. The Cayin is over all a more full-bodied, warmer affair - but more intimate & far less spacious-sounding. Although battery life is better, it still falls short of the figures Cayin give - especially in balanced mode.

 

[/guy]

i would never pretend to try to do an audio review of listening devices because my hearing took a bad beating due to a lifetime of target shooting, 2-3 years on an aircraft carrier living 20' underneath the #2 catapult, and a sinus illness. i think most of the damage is to the high frequency hearing but when i get my massdrop sennheiser headphones in i can use a hi-res test album to get a map of which frequencies i have trouble with.

but, because the 300r has the balanced output, i was exploring some options to be able to use that and i discovered that pioneer sells some balanced earbuds which seem designed to match their daps:

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Headphones/In-ear+&+Earbuds/SE-CH5BL-K

i haven't had more than a few hours of actual listening yet, but these earbuds seem to inflict no extra bass or coloration onto the music and are as comfortable as any other earbuds i've used over the years. the 'wire over the ears' is sort of awkward to me, but it's getting more natural the more i use them. they are compact and will tuck into small nooks in a pouch or pocket. i also got an adaptor which goes back the other way--balanced to unbalanced--which will let me use these on other audio devices. these adapters going either way seem way too expensive for what they are and the adaptor costs about 20-25% of the price of the earbud, but worth it so i don't have to carry a pair for the 300r and another for unbalanced players.

/guy

 

[capnjack]

Couldn't say how long it takes, but it definitely gets better. Bought mine a year ago & I thought it sounded a bit brittle & bright initially, but that settled a lot (or my brain got used to it).

Think you made the right choice choosing the XDP300r over the N5ii. I got the Cayin recently as I find - although it's also improved from new - the poor battery life on the XDP300r is a bit frustrating. Whilst the Cayin is good, the Pioneer player sounds a lot more sophisticated - it's airier & more detailed with a bigger soundstage and better extension at both extremes. The Cayin is over all a more full-bodied, warmer affair - but more intimate & far less spacious-sounding. Although battery life is better, it still falls short of the figures Cayin give - especially in balanced mode.

It certainly looks like I was fortunate to miss the N5ii £277 and get the 300r £320

 

[Lurk650]

i would never pretend to try to do an audio review of listening devices because my hearing took a bad beating due to a lifetime of target shooting, 2-3 years on an aircraft carrier living 20' underneath the #2 catapult, and a sinus illness. i think most of the damage is to the high frequency hearing but when i get my massdrop sennheiser headphones in i can use a hi-res test album to get a map of which frequencies i have trouble with.

but, because the 300r has the balanced output, i was exploring some options to be able to use that and i discovered that pioneer sells some balanced earbuds which seem designed to match their daps:

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Headphones/In-ear+&+Earbuds/SE-CH5BL-K

i haven't had more than a few hours of actual listening yet, but these earbuds seem to inflict no extra bass or coloration onto the music and are as comfortable as any other earbuds i've used over the years. the 'wire over the ears' is sort of awkward to me, but it's getting more natural the more i use them. they are compact and will tuck into small nooks in a pouch or pocket. i also got an adaptor which goes back the other way--balanced to unbalanced--which will let me use these on other audio devices. these adapters going either way seem way too expensive for what they are and the adaptor costs about 20-25% of the price of the earbud, but worth it so i don't have to carry a pair for the 300r and another for unbalanced players.

/guy

I have the CH9T, from what I've read the 5 don't sound near as good. I have an aftermarket cable on my 9s and it sounds really good but the 9s sound good from pretty much any source. My best pairing is the Lyra II with Triton8 Hybrid Cable balanced.

 

[vanexe]

Hmmm, I was seriously considering this dap for (early) next year, because it has dual Micro SD slots and can play native DSD.
But posts like these really worry me

I differ to that, xdp-300r cannot play native dsd. if you play it it'll display pcm 192khz =)

 

[Lurk650]

Burning in cables and DAPs, the HF community makes me laugh

 

[/guy]

same people who buy the $150 hdmi cables i guess. i'm not saying outright it's bogus, but it does sound like a relic from the tube and discrete component days. /guy

 

[AdamQK]

i would never pretend to try to do an audio review of listening devices because my hearing took a bad beating due to a lifetime of target shooting, 2-3 years on an aircraft carrier living 20' underneath the #2 catapult, and a sinus illness. i think most of the damage is to the high frequency hearing but when i get my massdrop sennheiser headphones in i can use a hi-res test album to get a map of which frequencies i have trouble with.

but, because the 300r has the balanced output, i was exploring some options to be able to use that and i discovered that pioneer sells some balanced earbuds which seem designed to match their daps:

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Headphones/In-ear+&+Earbuds/SE-CH5BL-K

i haven't had more than a few hours of actual listening yet, but these earbuds seem to inflict no extra bass or coloration onto the music and are as comfortable as any other earbuds i've used over the years. the 'wire over the ears' is sort of awkward to me, but it's getting more natural the more i use them. they are compact and will tuck into small nooks in a pouch or pocket. i also got an adaptor which goes back the other way--balanced to unbalanced--which will let me use these on other audio devices. these adapters going either way seem way too expensive for what they are and the adaptor costs about 20-25% of the price of the earbud, but worth it so i don't have to carry a pair for the 300r and another for unbalanced players.

/guy

I got a set of these because I wanted to try out the Balanced socket, but I'm unimpressed. They feel cheap, plasticky and really not worth the £69 asking price, especially only offering three sets of earbuds and a cheap carrying pouch. I don't even think they sound that great - a really thin sound - but that could be burning-in issues (sorry, that dread phrase again) but I can't use them on anything else. I was actually thinking of sending them back. Are there adapters that are recommended? I've got RHA 20s and FIDUE A83s I'd like to try out on the Balanced socket, ju to see.

 

[capnjack]

MQA is available on the onkyo music store.
https://www.onkyomusic.com/GB/home

 

[Andrew Harper]

MQA is available on the onkyo music store.
https://www.onkyomusic.com/GB/home

Prices are quite good too.

Nice find my friend.

 

[Andrew Harper]

I got a set of these because I wanted to try out the Balanced socket.

You've got me worried now as I've ordered some for the same reason!

I own a pair of Ultimate Ears earbuds and I see there's a balanced cable set on EBay for £29 which isn't too bad. However the balanced plug on the cable was quite large and I can just see the leverage on something like that breaking the headphone socket very easily. I may change my mind but it's a shame it's not a little bit smaller. I'm usually very careful with my sound gear anyway.

Thanks for the input anyway, I'll see what I think of them when they arrive.

 

[Lurk650]

I got a set of these because I wanted to try out the Balanced socket, but I'm unimpressed. They feel cheap, plasticky and really not worth the £69 asking price, especially only offering three sets of earbuds and a cheap carrying pouch. I don't even think they sound that great - a really thin sound - but that could be burning-in issues (sorry, that dread phrase again) but I can't use them on anything else. I was actually thinking of sending them back. Are there adapters that are recommended? I've got RHA 20s and FIDUE A83s I'd like to try out on the Balanced socket, ju to see.

The A83 are MMCX so you can use the balanced cable from the Pioneers on them.

Balanced cables can be had for relatively cheap on AliExpress and Penon. You can build one custom for about the same price on VEClan (I recommend getting the ear hook option when doing so).

Brainwavz sells their B400 with a 2.5 option shipped. I'm waiting on that.

Was listening to my CH9T with VE balanced cable last night out of the 300R and the sound was so relaxing.