[oldkid]

I gave up on my FIIO Q3-MQA and sold it on ebay.

Too bad Q3 is the perfect companion for RU7 on the go. RU7 in line out mode and DSD 256 + Q3 in amp mode with bass boost on is a killer lightweight combo for IEMs

 

[originalsnuffy]

Too bad Q3 is the perfect companion for RU7 on the go. RU7 in line out mode and DSD 256 + Q3 in amp mode with bass boost on is a killer lightweight combo for IEMs

One of the primary attractions of the Q3 was the higher powered THX amp so your idea makes sense. Then again, the idea for me was to have a great DAC and AMP in one unit. The Q3 MQA turned into a fail for me with the iphone 15 because I am a DSD fan. If FiiO had just admitted they have a problem and won't fix it I might have been okay with it. Their plan to avoid my questions and then fabricate the answer that there is no problem did not sit well with me.
, .
My IEMs must be fairly efficient because I have never detected an issues with clipping or headroom limitations with the RU7.

 

[originalsnuffy]

Yes, RU-7 stills holds its own against even iBasso DC-Elite in the untechnical term "musical sweetness" and also cohesive holography...everything presents as though going through a tube amp of Cayin's.

DC-Elite is into the very technical side of things and cooler than RU-7 tonally...still weighing up which one to keep.

Based on everything I have seen, the only potential upgrade to the RU7 would be the DC-Elite. So your analysis makes sense.

I know in this hobby something better inevitably comes along but my satisfaction level with the RU7 is quite high.

I can't remember which HiFi journal had the survey, but the top three dongles from a reader vote were listed. The RU7 was the bottom of the list, but the others were all quite pricey. To the point where I wouldn't have read the reviewsfor the other two dongles. $2000 for a dongle (twice the price of the iphone) didn't make sense to me.

 

[Lohb]

Based on everything I have seen, the only potential upgrade to the RU7 would be the DC-Elite. So your analysis makes sense.

I know in this hobby something better inevitably comes along but my satisfaction level with the RU7 is quite high.

I can't remember which HiFi journal had the survey, but the top three dongles from a reader vote were listed. The RU7 was the bottom of the list, but the others were all quite pricey. To the point where I wouldn't have read the reviewsfor the other two dongles. $2000 for a dongle (twice the price of the iphone) didn't make sense to me.

Stick with RU-7..it's sweet as honey and its swings and roundabouts with DC-Elite vs RU-7..they are quite polarised actually..

DC-Elite is sonically between Mojo2 and Hugo2, it's that better end of the Sabre DACs end of the spectrum..detail extraction above all else.

 

[originalsnuffy]

I am on strike with regards to ESS / Sabre. Not to say I don't have any devices with ESS; in fact probably too many. Now if I see that brand, I skip right over the product. Too clinical /sterile for my taste. I have positive vibes about CS and AKM. Haven't heard any R2R or ROHM systems.

 

[Lohb]

I am on strike with regards to ESS / Sabre. Not to say I don't have any devices with ESS; in fact probably too many. Now if I see that brand, I skip right over the product. Too clinical /sterile for my taste. I have positive vibes about CS and AKM. Haven't heard any R2R or ROHM systems.

You'd probably love R2R and ROHM in direction of Sabre analytics without the drawbacks.