Audiophilepure

The headliner here is the 24-bit R2R Array for analog-like warmth. It shares an ultra-high precision ultra-low jitter unified clock source with its flagship FiiO M27, and that chain is what FiiO calls its Digital Audio Purification System, including a high-capacity FPGA and dual custom crystal oscillators. The pre-amp section features TI Burr-Brown OPA1637 fully differential op-amps for I/V conversion and signal conditioning. There’s also a precision volume control and independent power supplies for the analog and digital amplifier stages, something you don’t see in comparably priced players.

We’re seeing a lot of R2R electronics of late. An R-2R ladder circuit is a specific arrangement of resistors using only two values, R and 2R, designed to convert digital binary signals into analog voltages (Digital-to-Analog Conversion or DAC).

Subbass is subtle and stays behind the rest of the presentation, giving tracks a light sense of depth rather than a deep rumble. It is not bad by any means, but it clearly avoids the kind of pressure and weight that bass-heavy sets deliver.

The punchiness of its mid-bass is what feels most noticeably missing, as kick drums do not land with strong impact. There is still a slight thump to keep rhythm sections from sounding empty, but the EPZ 550 does not push mid-bass energy aggressively.

Despite that weakened energy, the drums and bass guitars earn back attention through excellent timbre and texture. Every small tonal shift, drum hit, and string detail comes through with wonderful accuracy, allowing everything to sound as natural as can be.

https://www.headfonia.com/auribus-acoustics-sierra-review

According to cma.audio you also get a cable clip for attaching the cable to your shirt collar, but I’ve never seen that myself. I’ve been using the Sierra with Meze Audio’s Dual Mono 3.5mm Copper PCUHD Premium Cable, as the stock one wasn’t supplied.

The Auribus Acoustics Sierra is selling for $1,200 USD or €1.399 EURO, which puts in the medium to high-end range. Purely looking at the delivery, accessories and 3D-print/build quality, that’s perhaps a bit steep, but let’s see how we feel about that after we’ve looked at how it performs and sounds.

I believe the Audeze LCD-5s are the finest planar headphones I have ever heard. They are comfortable to wear for the long haul and efficient for any headphone source. The better the headphone amplifier the better they sound. I am mightily impressed. The award winning Dr. C has done it again. He has pushed the envelope and redefined the state of the art. I did try a couple of different cables from other manufacturers, but I could not match the clarity and sense of realism of the supplied Audeze cables. Whether you listen to them single-ended or balanced you will enjoy the headphone listening experience to the max.

We’ve had the opportunity to use the XS Preamplifier together with the matching XS300 monoblock amplifiers to excellent result, paired with the XS Phono, making for an unbeatable combination of dynamics, tonality, and ease of use. There truly is nothing I can find fault with this trio. Ok, it’s all pretty heavy. That’s it. Fortunately, the XS Pre only weighs 80 pounds, and it is distributed between two chassis, the power supply, and the actual preamplifier circuitry. The two are connected by the same massive umbilical cords used in the XS Phono and the XS 150/300 power amplifiers. Terminated with Neutrik connectors, these are beefy cables indeed. 100,000µƒ of power supply capacitance per channel only hints at the power reserves available.