A Geek Goes Flying

Baby Wharfedale behind a Schiit DAC/Amp next to PC38X headset My current setup at the office is a Mac Mini running macOS Monterey, connected via 3.5 mm / RCA to a  PreSonus Eris Sub8 and through that, to Wharfedale DS-2 speakers , and now via a Schiit Fulla E to a Sennheiser PC38X headset. Now, the PC38X is aimed at the gaming market, I use ’em for interminable Zoom and Microsoft Teams remote appearances, depositions, etc. The mic works great and flipping it up is a zero-ambiguity way of quickly muting my audio, which I really appreciate. They’re not half-bad to listen to, either; Josh Valour compares them relatively favorably against the Sennheiser HD560S and HD58X (which I have at home ). Anyway, I played Tori Amos’ Cornflake Girl for my law partner through the PC38X / Fulla E combo and he was blown away. Had never heard anything “so clear and detailed.” I decided to spin that track for myself, it had been a while since I’ve listened to Tori, and I’m not sure I’ve ever reall...

The only time I’ve gotten the FiiO BTR5-2021 to work with a headset mic, it’s been the Sennheiser PC38X. I tried the mic that came with the Philips SPH9600RM, nothing. I just tried a V-Moda BoomPro (which has its own issues, like, the impedance I measure on the left and right channels is way higher than it should be, and if you don’t get the inline volume control just right, the left channel is significantly louder than the right), same thing. Reached out to V-Moda support. Really frustrated so far... Update: I picked up. another PC38X (now branded EPOS, after the Sennheiser spin-off) on sale for $129 (from $169), and picked up the Boom Mic for Drop + THX Panda Headphones ($9 instead of a purported list price of $49). Both work perfectly with the BTR5, and the boom mic fits the SPH9600 perfectly. Huzzah. Drop Boom Mic  I wish I knew why the BTR5 seems so finicky when it comes to which microphones it will work with. Also, the BTR3 is a less expensive module that will do what the...