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Author Topic: OC Nano-meet Rundown/Impressions Thread  (Read 1108 times)

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OJneg

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OC Nano-meet Rundown/Impressions Thread
« on: February 23, 2015, 03:52:05 AM »
Headphones:

Mr. Speakers Alpha Prime
Paradox Slants
Audio Zenith PMx2
Fostex TH-500RP

Senn HD800
Senn HD600
Ultrasone 840
Ultrasone Signature DJ
Koss ESP950 (+ Energizer)

Amplification + D/A
Schiit Mjolnir
Sjostrom QRV-08
ECP Torpedo
Lynx Hilo

Portable
UERM
Ety ER4
Noble PR
Hifiman RE400

Pono Player
Shozy Alien DAP
Geek Out 450
Leckerton UHA-6S Mk2
Geek Out IEM 100

Phono
SL1200 + AT95e
Schiit Mani

-----

Go ahead and post your thoughts guys
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OJneg

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Re: OC Nano-meet Rundown/Impressions Thread
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2015, 03:52:28 AM »
[reserved]
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ultrabike

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Re: OC Nano-meet Rundown/Impressions Thread
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2015, 04:32:09 AM »
Thank you very much for hosting this meet OJ! Awesome times!

The SL1200 rig was very special, and got a chance to briefly hear OJs open baffle speakers. I thought they were really great after all things were properly setup, but had to run back. Missed the Overnight Sensations. Next time.

This time around the ESP950 sounded pretty good. Maybe there was some good synergy with the SL1200, but even out of the Geek 100 it did pretty well. There is some roll off at the extremes, but the mids were really great and resolution was reference grade.

Got a chance to compare the Alpha Primes, PMx2s, HD600s and Slants head to head. By far the worst were the Alpha Primes. Dunno what Dan was thinking, don't recall his previous cans being this bad. The PMx2s were just OK for me, again. HD600 did pretty much everything better except perhaps bass... perhaps. Main complain for me on the PMx2 is that "tss" issue I've mentioned before, and lack of resolution and scalability. That said, IMO, the PMx2 murder the Alpha Primes I heard today. Slants were pretty good. A different signature from the HD600s and complementary IMO.

Pono player sounded a bit polite to me. Not bad at all, just soft IMO. The UI was pretty decent, but a bit touchy perhaps. The build quality is a joke for a $400 player.

Again, came out very impressed of the Koss ESP950s this time around.

Thanks OJ!!!  :)p5 :)p5 :)p5
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burnspbesq

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Re: OC Nano-meet Rundown/Impressions Thread
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2015, 06:08:12 AM »
The Alpha Prime were shockingly bad. Subjectively, they seem to roll off sharply above about 550 Hz (an octave and a bit more above middle C). There's no transient information to speak of; on a track from "Unplugged," by Eric Clapton, they make his Martin 000-28 sound like a $99 Wal-Mart special. Across a number of different evaluation tracks of different genres and different recording quality, cymbals are nearly non-existent, and drums sound like cardboard boxes. I didn't dare throw any solo violin at them.

I couldn't listen to the modded PM-2 long enough to produce a detaild list of what I didn't like about them. My immediate, visceral reaction was "Yuck!" And it didn't change.

OJ measured the output impedance of the P Player at 4 ohms, which explains a lot of the perceived differences in performance with different headphones. Mike will hopefully discuss the differences he heard between UERM and Noble PR in single-ended operation. I can confirm that the UERM, with its substantial swings in impedance vs. frequency, is not a great choice to use with the P Player (or any other device with an output impedance higher than 1 ohm) in either single-ended or balanced operation (although i think it's noticeably better balanced).

Thanks to OJ for hosting.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2015, 02:18:34 AM by burnspbesq »
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Anaxilus

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Re: OC Nano-meet Rundown/Impressions Thread
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2015, 08:28:56 AM »
Final Pono musings:

http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,2159.0.html

Headphones:

Mr. Speakers Alpha Prime-AM radio/64kbps mp3 sound. Worst sounding phones at the meet.

Audio Zenith PMx2-Same usual driver inadequacies. Warm blur. I think the San Diego version probably sounded more open and clearer but same basic signature. Could be amp/dac differences from then to now.

Fostex TH-500RP-Slightly improved tuningn from CES two years ago. Actually has some bass but still low-fi ish and rough sounding. Not as tinny, harsh, lean and metallic as before. Build is $300-$400. Sound is $150 on a good day.

Koss ESP950 (+ Energizer)-Surprising decent being fed from the GO450 to the Energizer. Talk about budget satisfaction.

Shozy Alien DAP-Actually not too shabby for the low price. On the analytical side but had decent space, imaging and inner detail but had a bit of a hazed over greyish background. Doesn't get black or truly glass clear but has some involving elements.

Geek Out 450
Leckerton UHA-6S Mk2-Pwn'd all the portable stuff here. Smoother, refined, coherent, dynamic, resolving, involving, black, spatious and clear.

Geek Out IEM 100 - Clearly inferior in just about every sonic dimension to the GO 450. Grainer, less resolving and less dynamic sounding of the GO's I've tested. Unless you have noise sensitive IEMs that you would be bothered by or are just hypersensitive to noise I'd highly recommend moving up the Geek Out model path.

SL1200 + AT95e
Schiit Mani-Need's a better cartridge and the Mani, which is great for the money, could use a tube somewhere to kick things up a notch or two. Just adding a noticeable bit of SS grain to the vinyl rig.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2015, 12:45:26 AM by Anaxilus »
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Anaxilus

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Re: OC Nano-meet Rundown/Impressions Thread
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2015, 12:46:01 AM »
updated
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"If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading." - Lao Tzu

"The Claw is our master. The Claw chooses who will go or who will stay." - The LGM Community

"You're like a dull knife, just ain't cuttin'. Talking loud, saying nothing." - James Brown

Priidik

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Re: OC Nano-meet Rundown/Impressions Thread
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2015, 09:55:11 PM »
What were your thoughts on QRV-08 ?
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OJneg

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Re: OC Nano-meet Rundown/Impressions Thread
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2015, 11:25:25 PM »
I don't think any of the guys got much of a chance to compare the QRV-08 to the other amps on hand. Suffice to say it held its own against the Hilo's headphone out which we were plugging headphones in and out of interchangeably. Which isn't to say they sounded the same....

I'll post my thoughts later tonight
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