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AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> So what is your traveling music set-up?
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Message started by HockessinKid on 07/25/20 at 16:07:30

Title: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by HockessinKid on 07/25/20 at 16:07:30

Thought it would be interesting to learn about how folks listen on the go. I don't do a lot of listening through my IEM's, but this seems to be a preferred method of listening for many these days.

My set up:

Google Pixel 2 > TIDAL music streaming > USB Audio Player Pro software app > Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt > Etymotic ER3XR IEM's.

This set-up gives me very good sound quality. The USB Audio Player Pro is highly configurable and works well for phones that lack a headphone jack, like mine.😁.

HK

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by JohnWatson on 07/25/20 at 20:18:38

Interesting to me that you would bring this up now since I've been studying the best way to go in that regard for the last couple weeks and would be very interested to know anyone elses take on it.
I've come around full circle on several different DAPs, choosing one, then another and back again after reading tons of reviews etc. I even looked into separate amp/dac streaming combos like the Chord Mojo/Poly.
Today, I stumbled onto another one that was never on my radar...the Shanling M6 Pro, which seemed to check all the boxes for me.
What I find fascinating is the fact that this market appears to be getting in to full swing and competition for better sound seems strong and changing monthly. Companies all seem to want to put out the next best thing and it's very encouraging...and expensive, but fun!

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by Dominick on 07/26/20 at 08:02:46

Roger,

I essentially have 2 portable music setups.

My first is when I am going to be either in a hotel or outdoors for external sound. It’s comprised of my iPhone X > Tidal or Qobuz HiFi > Apple USB camera adapter > Audio Quest Dragonfly Red > Audio Quest Golden Gate 3.5 Cable > JBL Charge 3 or the Clip 3 portable BT speaker using the 3.5 mm input. I must say that I do get great sound in such a relatively small form factor.

My second system is my iPhone X > Tidal or Qobuz HiFi > Bose Wireless EarPods or my Velodyne V Free BT headphones. If I am working out or walking I will use the Bose EarPods since they are the inner ear, lighter, and more flexible. Otherwise I use the Velodyne’s since they are over the ear and will give me a wider dynamic range with better bass extension.

Dom

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by HockessinKid on 07/26/20 at 11:33:20

Can't believe I forgot my AQ Dragonfly. Duh. Added it in.

HK

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by piezoman on 07/26/20 at 15:35:42

Not a fan of IEM's, so with semi portable use I have Meze Audio 99 Classic, Shanling M6, and Meze Audio balanced cables.

No subscriotions to music streaming services here.

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by Lon on 07/26/20 at 16:31:25

My car stereo is my traveling music.

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by Dominick on 07/26/20 at 18:27:15

Lon....while working the overnight shift, I do a lot of late night listening in my work car. I sometimes will use a newer car that streams from my cell phone via BT. It’s a decent sound but lacks fidelity IMHO. The majority of the time I will purposely take an older car that has a 3.5mm audio input jack. This allows me to use my Audio Quest Dragonfly Red USB DAC and the sound is 10x better.

While BT technology is a great, it seems as though the majority of new cars these days remove the external audio jacks in replacement for the BT feature. It’s a shame because I have compared both, and the BT sound lacks the depth that I get from streaming music from my cell phone with my portable USB DAC. I guess it’s because they are catering to the mass market, and not some like myself who owns a $250 external device to squeeze the best possible sound out of mobile situation.

Roger....how do you like the new Dragonfly Cobalt? I am tempted upgrade at some point and I am curious as to the comparison of the sound between the two devices.

Hope all is well on your end.

Dom

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by morp on 07/26/20 at 19:42:01

Given the money in the hobby now, I find portable audio to be a sinkhole almost the size of full sized headphone audio. You can spend $15 or $15000, like with all audio :)

I personally run Computer/Phone TIDAL/Amazon HD/FLAC USB -> Chord Mojo -> JH Layla/Etymotic ER-4p/Moondrop Kanas Pro. There are far more expensive Digital Audio Players that provide source/DAC/Amp, but I can't bring myself to spend thousands of dollars on a portable device that'll be obsolete in a few years, and require me to carry around another item the size of my phone.

If you can deal with the size and weight, the Chord Mojo is the most important part of that chain and I highly recommend it. It's much heavier, and larger than a Dragonfly, but to my ears the sound quality is incomparable. The Mojo sounds every bit like a good solid state desktop DAC/Amp - you're not compromising at all by being portable.

For $80 in the used market, I also really like the sound and build quality of the Moondrop Kanas Pro. It has since been replaced by the KXXS, but the Kanas Pro delivers excellent neutral sound that scales up VERY well with your equipment. When I take it out of the Mojo and plug it into the Taboo, it doesn't miss a beat and just adds dynamics and richness.

Thanks,
Richard

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by Donnie on 07/26/20 at 20:13:14

I'm with Lon and Dominick, I'm listening in my car.

Fortunately my car has USB connections to Aux in with.

So I have a 2 TB portable hard drive with a lot of music on it hooked in. I just run it on random play, not unlike a radio station without the banter and ads.

The car came with SiriusXM but I grew tired of it and didn't think that it was worth $300 a year, so it is long gone.

All of these modern marvels that are out there just to entertain ourselves.

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by Showme on 07/27/20 at 14:03:30

Donnie, you’re may be correct about the cost of the Sirius. I have it in two of my vehicles. I use a Bose Bluetooth in hotel/motel situations played by my phone. Small, convenient and OK background music

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by benzxc on 07/28/20 at 06:22:06

When on the go I use my phone -> flac files -> USB Audio Player Pro -> AQ Dragonfly Red -> Fiio FH7

I prefer headphones but love the portability of IEMs.

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by Lonely Raven on 07/28/20 at 14:28:47

Funny story, and it may still be in the original Decware forum...but I was really into car audio, and Love my original Zen amp...So I rigged up this suspension system using an MDF box lined with rockwool, suspended by springs like a vintage microphone.

It sounded pretty good, but being poor I was too afraid of bumping/breaking a tube so it didn't last long in the car and went right back into the listening room.

Title: Re: So what is your traveling music set-up?
Post by morp on 07/29/20 at 17:10:04

Wow that is incredible! I am not technically savvy at all - if I plug it all in and there's sound that comes out, I'm good.