[CFA Chris]

I have let go of the Dorado 2020 b/c it was too "dark" for me, and I'd like a CFA with bass AND treble, would the Cascara be too similar to the Dorado 2020 to satisfy me??

The Black Star and Supermoon have been suggested to me as more balanced, but just curious about the Cascara vs Dorado 2020.

I did some brief A/B-ing on some of these, and I think I agree with others that BlackStar or Supermoon might better fit what you're looking for. I would also add Bonneville in there if you want heavier bass than the more balanced approach of BlackStar. There seems to be a wider spread of perception when it comes to Supermoon's bass; some find it pretty even-keeled, while others find it to be more impactful (might be a source dependency thing).

 

[CFA Chris]

I got it bad (and that ain’t good)

I knew I would *have* to buy Ara eventually. I just didn’t expect it to be quite so soon. Too many new toys all at once, but some deals are too good to pass up. Looks like I’ll be eating instant ramen more often for a bit longer.

Awesome lineup! I feel like these three overlap enough to fit in similar realms but have enough differences to make them contrast nicely as well. I'm a sucker for those titanium shells too!

 

[Leonarfd]

Quite happy going for the purple design, look quite daring but also screams joy. Must give praise for the ergonomics, must be one of the most comfy IEMs I have used.

 

[OneEyedHito]

What are some tried and true recommendations for a DAP pairing with the Trifecta?

A few requirements:
Roon capability or Roon Arc via WiFi at min.
4.4 Balanced out

A few wishes:
Android OS bypass for direct Roon playback
Smallish body
Good battery life, not great but good.

I know the Sony Gold Brick is HIGHLY recommended @Rockwell75 and while I’m not opposed to that and have a bunch of Crutchfield pts I’d use there (back ordered currently) I’d like to get something here preowned with experience alongside Trifecta that is more affordable than $3K.

Thanks in advance!

 

[OhmsClaw]

What are some tried and true recommendations for a DAP pairing with the Trifecta?

A few requirements:
Roon capability or Roon Arc via WiFi at min.
4.4 Balanced out

A few wishes:
Android OS bypass for direct Roon playback
Smallish body
Good battery life, not great but good.

I know the Sony Gold Brick is HIGHLY recommended @Rockwell75 and while I’m not opposed to that and have a bunch of Crutchfield pts I’d use there (back ordered currently) I’d like to get something here preowned with experience alongside Trifecta that is more affordable than $3K.

Thanks in advance!

The new R8ii is insane. The pricing is TOTL bargain.

I'll add.... the fuzzy back is wack. But just use the case. It hits all your requirements.

 

[OneEyedHito]

The new R8ii is insane. The pricing is TOTL bargain.

I'll add.... the fuzzy back is wack. But just use the case. It hits all your requirements.

Thank you!

 

[syklik]

Anybody happen to have an FR graph of the Cascara? Have been curious where it fits against the other CFA stuff and my current sets but haven't really found much floating around to go off of so far

 

[OneEyedHito]

Anybody happen to have an FR graph of the Cascara? Have been curious where it fits against the other CFA stuff and my current sets but haven't really found much floating around to go off of so far

Yes go to the Squiglink site and there are a few FR of the cascade with different analyzers.

https://squig.link/

 

[hammer09]

What are some tried and true recommendations for a DAP pairing with the Trifecta?

A few requirements:
Roon capability or Roon Arc via WiFi at min.
4.4 Balanced out

A few wishes:
Android OS bypass for direct Roon playback
Smallish body
Good battery life, not great but good.

I know the Sony Gold Brick is HIGHLY recommended @Rockwell75 and while I’m not opposed to that and have a bunch of Crutchfield pts I’d use there (back ordered currently) I’d like to get something here preowned with experience alongside Trifecta that is more affordable than $3K.

Thanks in advance!

M15s Roon-ready mode working great for me .

 

[OhmsClaw]

Thank you!

I'll follow up and suggest looking at the A&K SE300, however it is locked android (Hiby does open android) like all A&K devices. It's an R2R with OS/NOS LDAC but also has a whole suite of quality of life features. It's roughly the same price as well.

 

[o0genesis0o]

The new R8ii is insane. The pricing is TOTL bargain.

I'll add.... the fuzzy back is wack. But just use the case. It hits all your requirements.

Second this. The R8II is a bargain for the kind of sound and battery life it offers.

 

[bigbeans]

What are some tried and true recommendations for a DAP pairing with the Trifecta?

A few requirements:
Roon capability or Roon Arc via WiFi at min.
4.4 Balanced out

A few wishes:
Android OS bypass for direct Roon playback
Smallish body
Good battery life, not great but good.

I know the Sony Gold Brick is HIGHLY recommended @Rockwell75 and while I’m not opposed to that and have a bunch of Crutchfield pts I’d use there (back ordered currently) I’d like to get something here preowned with experience alongside Trifecta that is more affordable than $3K.

Thanks in advance!

If Android is a must, I would look at either SP3000 or Shanling M9+ as they have low noise floor which is needed for the more sensitive Trifecta.

However for pure Sound Quality, I would recommend the Sony.

The OG WM1Z/A modded by Steve at NP Audio. I enjoy the Cayin N30AP edition with Trifecta, but the 1Z is the best synergy (better than DMP imo) due to the how the OG 1Z strength of bass presentation complements the Trifecta. The 1ZM2 is very good too, if you want presentation with more focus in the mids.

I would recommend picking up a used WM1A from ebay, and sending it in to Steve for the full mod. There will be zero sonic difference between a modded 1Z and a modded 1A in this case. Battery life is approx 50+ hrs (screen off, mp3 playing, low gain), may want to check with Steve for the exact figure.

 

[OneEyedHito]

If Android is a must, I would look at either SP3000 or Shanling M9+ as they have low noise floor which is needed for the more sensitive Trifecta.

However for pure Sound Quality, I would recommend the Sony.

The OG WM1Z/A modded by Steve at NP Audio. I enjoy the Cayin N30AP edition with Trifecta, but the 1Z is the best synergy (better than DMP imo) due to the how the OG 1Z strength of bass presentation complements the Trifecta. The 1ZM2 is very good too, if you want presentation with more focus in the mids.

I would recommend picking up a used WM1A from ebay, and sending it in to Steve for the full mod. There will be zero sonic difference between a modded 1Z and a modded 1A in this case. Battery life is approx 50+ hrs (screen off, mp3 playing, low gain), may want to check with Steve for the exact figure.

Thank you. Great detailed suggestions. Android isn’t a must but Roon capability is, so researching Sony’s.

 

[bigbeans]

Thank you. Great detailed suggestions. Android isn’t a must but Roon capability is, so researching Sony’s.

Sure, glad to help. Keep in mind, the OG Sony's do not have any Roon (they use a custom Sony OS), however I use a Pixel 7a for Android streaming services. The LDAC performance is very good to my ear.

 

[emdeevee]

If Android is a must, I would look at either SP3000 or Shanling M9+ as they have low noise floor which is needed for the more sensitive Trifecta.

However for pure Sound Quality, I would recommend the Sony.

The OG WM1Z/A modded by Steve at NP Audio. I enjoy the Cayin N30AP edition with Trifecta, but the 1Z is the best synergy (better than DMP imo) due to the how the OG 1Z strength of bass presentation complements the Trifecta. The 1ZM2 is very good too, if you want presentation with more focus in the mids.

I would recommend picking up a used WM1A from ebay, and sending it in to Steve for the full mod. There will be zero sonic difference between a modded 1Z and a modded 1A in this case. Battery life is approx 50+ hrs (screen off, mp3 playing, low gain), may want to check with Steve for the exact figure.

I'm gonna grill you about this in NYC. I've been toying with the idea of adding the Sony WM1Z2 to my gear, but I am even more entranced by this mod and your suggestion. You got this done from Cali?

This sounds like it could be amazing and I wonder how it sounds. What a dumb sentence.