CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Head Amps, DACs, Sources, Portable Equipment Discussion => Topic started by: grev on June 07, 2012, 11:24:56 AM
-
Any others that I should collect?
RX3?
I also have the stepdance, The Continental, The Nationa, Objective2 x2 plus a few other cheapies.
-
I quite like the govibe tube +
(http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg104/dBel84/IMAG0758.jpg)
That said I have only had real experience with DIY portable amps, many of my own invention and then the mini3
..dB
-
I'm definitely going to be picking up a Rx MK3, especially after what Anaxilus had to say about it.....
-
The AlgoR Solo + RX mk3 are indeed very good and better than most mid-fi desktop rigs. It's not really portable though - can't put it into your pocket.
-
Leckerton UHA-6s mkII? People have to stop with the letter scramble for models.
-
The DIY PPAS is one my favorites, it's a portable PPA. I haven't compared it to the latest gen of 700 dollar portable amps, but it spanks the previous portables IME. The boards aren't available for some shoddy reason and the battery life aint great. But if you see one used on HF, grab it up they go for 90 bucks.
-
I think Shipsupt needs to be summoned for his expertise here.
-
The DIY PPAS is one my favorites, it's a portable PPA. I haven't compared it to the latest gen of 700 dollar portable amps, but it spanks the previous portables IME. The boards aren't available for some shoddy reason and the battery life aint great. But if you see one used on HF, grab it up they go for 90 bucks.
this was the problem with the ones I built , rails ran at dual 18V (4x9V) with a ClassA symmetrical buffer BUT battery life was a mere 3 hours run continuously. Mine was similar to a PPAS but without any instability concerns. The PPAS remains more advanced in design when compared to most portable amps which rely on an opamp amplification stage and usually some form of chip buffer. ( or not at all ) Triad's LISA is the amp that stands apart but is not exactly portable.
..dB
-
Not much of a fan of the first Portatube myself. Couldn't drive the T50rp. Continental is a bit better but the imaging is way too fuzzy and soft for my tastes. I think Leckerton makes the best all in ones for the money/performance, especially the UHA6. The RX3 is freaking badass and I'm not an ALO fanboy. Averagejoe likes his new Portaphile amp but I haven't heard it. A few like the AHA-120 but haven't heard that either. LISA is nice but massive and a bit on the darker side but very clear and powerful.
-
If a portable amp doesn't have crossfeed it's dead to me...
-
If a portable amp doesn't have crossfeed it's dead to me...
Really?
I always felt crossfeed circuits muck up the sound....
-
I love my Leckerton UHA-6S.
-
WMFS
-
this was the problem with the ones I built , rails ran at dual 18V (4x9V) with a ClassA symmetrical buffer BUT battery life was a mere 3 hours run continuously. Mine was similar to a PPAS but without any instability concerns. The PPAS remains more advanced in design when compared to most portable amps which rely on an opamp amplification stage and usually some form of chip buffer. ( or not at all ) Triad's LISA is the amp that stands apart but is not exactly portable.
..dB
I think I get more like 4-5 hours out of mine, but I've never calculated it I'm just guessing. Hasn't been a big problem since I just use it around the house or outside. But it is annoying. I think mine has 8 AAA eneloops and is about the size of the original SR71. Fallenangel made it, you probably know him from the DIY forums.
I didn't know you built one. What do you mean when you say that yours was similar to the PPAS?
-
Really?
I always felt crossfeed circuits muck up the sound....
It's a minority opinion, but IMO listening to stereo mixes w/o crossfeed is almost like listening to vinyl but leaving out the RIAA EQ. It's just not meant to be listened to that way. Without crossfeed the inter aural time and and level differences are just far to wrong and unnatural. I can't really listen long without it, especially with good headphones that don't sound completely inside-your-head, before I get headaches. Modern pop and rock without much channel separation to begin with can last me an hour or two even on some good headphones but a well recorded symphony usually makes my brain feel like it's being torn in half even on cheap headphones.
The usual modified Linkwitz circuits aren't the best and I prefer more advanced simulators when I can use them. I play my main music library through foobar with the TB Isone VST plugin which can simulate different types of speakers and different rooms along with an adjustable HRTF. I don't want or need to simulate a studio or different devices to check mixes as some people use it for, so I set the virtual speakers to dead flat and turn off the room simulator leaving only the distance, angle, and HRTF. I can't use that will every source though so I still need an amp with a hardware crossfeed circuit, especially for portable use, even if it's not as good.
None of those are as good as if you were listening to binaural or speakers in the first place but for me there's not much choice. I couldn't really listen to headphones all that much without crossfeed unless I cut back on the quality of the headphones and the variety of the music I listen to and I couldn't listen to all that much music if I didn't use headphones so that's why a portable amp without crossfeed is dead to me.
-
RX3 it is! Running balanced too?
-
ALO Rx Mk3-b out of the iBasso DX100 balanced into several phones; ES5, 4r, DT1350, HD25 and single ended into the ATH-ESW10JPN.
-
I love my Leckerton UHA-6S.
That new UHA-6S.MKII is sexy looking.
-
ALO Rx Mk3-b out of the iBasso DX100 balanced into several phones; ES5, 4r, DT1350, HD25 and single ended into the ATH-ESW10JPN.
Out of curiousity, any quick thoughts on the SR71B v. RXmk3? I've heard both, just curious about you thoughts.
-
Out of curiousity, any quick thoughts on the SR71B v. RXmk3? I've heard both, just curious about you thoughts.
To me the only advantage of the SR-71b is with very sensitive IEM since the SR-71B is dead quite while the Mk3 have some very low level hiss between tracks. This on balance is nothing compared with the pleasure the sound of the Mk3 gives me. The Mk3 is all over the SR-71b for me even using the iBasso DB2 balanced dac instead of my line out of the iBasso DX100. Between clarity, dynamics, extension, precision; the Mk3 is simply a more balanced sounding amp in every way with every thing I have power it with. Sorry I sound like a salesman but this is what I am hearing...I love my ES5s balanced with the Mk3.
The SR-71b is also much darker sounding than the Mk3 with everything I have used. The SR-71b is known for its bass but in comparison I don't think the Mk3 suffers at all. It is interesting to play with the bass knob with the ES5s. I can see the mids grow slightly darker or a little more recessed when turned up hearing some frequencies masked by the additional bass ...The Mk3 bass knob provides an interesting flexibility to the amp.
With my Westone 4r balanced the 4r rises to an even higher level than when used single ended powered by the Mk3 using its bass knob...i don't use the bass knob with the ES5s though.
-
Have those of you who like the MK3 heard the original Rx? I found the original to to have an unbearably cold and sterile tone.
-
Have those of you who like the MK3 heard the original Rx? I found the original to to have an unbearably cold and sterile tone.
No experience here with the original Rx.
-
Have those of you who like the MK3 heard the original Rx? I found the original to to have an unbearably cold and sterile tone.
Nope. The MK3 reminded me of those great solid-state amps. B22 or Dynahi. I shit you not.
The downside is that it really isn't pocket portable.
-
The price is crazy though. How much do you think it costs to make?
And how are these balanced portables supposed to sound as good as a gigantic speaker amp with something like an HE6. That's never made any sense to me. Is it because they're battery powered?
-
You don't need a gigantic speaker amp to power an HE-6. That's all bullshit. My Melos and BA were fine.
-
Well how can a tiny little portable sound like the huge BA or B22? To put it simply, what are all those parts there for?
-
I didn't say it sounded as good. I would need a direct comparison to say that. I'm sure the B22 or Dynahi could power bigger stuff the MK2 can't. Headphones don't need that much power. The HE-6 just needs a bit more.
-
Well how can a tiny little portable sound like the huge BA or B22? To put it simply, what are all those parts there for?
I don't know, but the RX m3 does have a 'big' type of sound to it. Sorry for the word choice but not sure how else to put it. It's neutral, clear as hell, powerful, didn't notice anything about it that bothered me at all. I think it's the first portable amp I've heard w/ no complaints. Didn't like the RX m1 myself and swore off ALO products till now. By comparison, the SR-71B is kind of a joke, my Leckerton and the O2 spanks it. I wanted to hear slwiser's independent take which pretty much matches mine.
Ken Ball did talk to me about the price because I bitched about in his thread and said I don't normally like his products at all. I think the cost was in hiring the engineers he needed to implement the features and balanced drive while retaining a purity of sound and great dynamic performance. The impression I got was that he got tired of playing the portable amp sidegrade market and decided to just go all out and see if he could buy a design/designers to beat them all. Basically he pulled a Val Kolton and designed something that he wanted for himself that he could sell to people that could afford it, like Val's VAMP project. If you have the money from selling garden hose cables I can believe it. How much and to what degree that is BS I don't know. I'll say he was a surprisingly good sport about having me throw sand in his face on H-fi even though the mk3 impressions were favorable. He might be a dick outside or misunderstood but he was a champ in an open forum and didn't ask any mods to remove my impressions. He manned up and replied transparently and without objection. I have to respect that.
-
Any others that I should collect?
portable to me means IEM, I wouldn't carry full-sized headphones, so the Tomahawk and Pico do just fine for me...
-
Ken is both appreciated and reviled in equal measure, so I don't blame him for coming off poorly sometimes. I met him in Tokyo and he kindly lent us one of his only three demo amps. I was impressed by the prototype in Tokyo last year and no less this time. Jude's 71B/CLAS rig was definitely less lively. Non-comprehensive impressions are that the RX-3B is a bit better than my Triad Audio L3 and both are a step above the headphone amp in the DX100. It's worth considering that one has to account for cabling buying one of the balanced amps, so the base price isn't the whole story.
-
Seeing as we are off topic I will add a note about Ken. He does get a bad rap from many of the HC fanboys, mostly over his cable philosophy and his early vocalization thereof. Jenna gets the same label. I will not get into the cable debate, I am not a zipcord supporter but neither am I a fan of other extreme. I am however very fond of Ken and his approach to this hobby and his support for his customers. I also don't care that he charges what he does for his cables. He does everything himself and braids those cables one at a time. For those who have tried to make cables of this sort will understand the HUGE pia that is and how easy it is to screw it up. Every hour he spends making those cables instead of spending time with his wife and young child are very valuable and come with a price. As for his amps and other components, he is not an amp designer and relies on people to collaborate with him to build any product that he brings to market. They can only be as good as the people he chooses to work with. I think he has generally chosen well.
My approach to portable amps is akin to headphone world toys. I generally have not taken them very seriously as I do not listen seriously when on the move. The govibe makes music on the move sound a lot better than the overhead noise and i have shifted to using headphones that work well without an amp to make it even simpler. I would probably feel differently if I used a set of UE reference ..dB
-
Just wanted to share my impressions of the portable Total BitHead amp. This is the first and only portable amp I own currently, and can only compare it against the Sansa Zip straight outputs. Therefore I'm not sure how this amp compares to others like the RX3, but I would definitively be curious about it.
Sound
Compared to the straight Sansa Zip output, the BitHead is a little more rolled in the highs making it more enjoyable with my DT990 and even KSC-75. (Note that the Sansa Zip has an eq though)
Crossfeed
The BitHead also has crossfeed, and it works with both the USB and line input. However, the crossfeed does not have any settings, it is just either on or off. (Note that the Sansa Zip has a relatively highly configurable crossfeed - digital though).
Gain
While the Zip can drive the KSC-75, it has difficulty running the DT990 250 ohm. The BitHead has a Low and High gain switch. At low gain, it drives the DT990 250 at roughtly the same levels as the Zip, but in High gain it drives the DT990 250 ohm effortlessly.
Comments
I have experienced the Zip > BitHead > DT990 using the line input of the BitHead, and I sense no significant distortion. The BitHead can be powered by 4 AAA batteries and the recommendation is to use alkaline non-rechargeables (me being thick probably would go ahead and use low self discharge one anyway). It has two headphone outputs, so perfect for A/B comparos.
-
Using rechargeable worked fine for me when I had one. It just gave a little less maximum volume.
-
AAHHHH cheapest cable with one of the retailer in Melbourne told me (through email) are around... $700AUD.
-
Mav just made a great post on how using the UHA6S in conjunction w/ the iTouch 4G reduces THD 10x. The pain starts here:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/495931/westone-es5/4665#post_8475597 (http://www.head-fi.org/t/495931/westone-es5/4665#post_8475597)
Data:
http://www.markuskraus.com/RMAA/iPodTouch4GUHA-6s/data.htm (http://www.markuskraus.com/RMAA/iPodTouch4GUHA-6s/data.htm)
Can we sticky his site to the front?
http://www.markuskraus.com/RMAA/rmaa%20complete%20-%20html.html (http://www.markuskraus.com/RMAA/rmaa%20complete%20-%20html.html)
-
Since I spent so much money on LED flashlights lately, I'm going to get the UHA-6s2 first.
Lets see how it compares to my L3, AHA-120 and stepdance.
-
Any more comments on the uha6? I wish it was available cheaper without a dac. I have no use for that. But a budget (not 600 dollars) powerful portable would be cool.
-
Any more comments on the uha6? I wish it was available cheaper without a dac. I have no use for that. But a budget (not 600 dollars) powerful portable would be cool.
He is making one w/o the extra digital inputs which may mean no DAC as well. Not sure yet, but somthing 'simpler is coming.
-
Nice little review of the new Leckerton on IF.
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/leckerton-uha-6s-mkii-portable-headphone-amplifier (http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/leckerton-uha-6s-mkii-portable-headphone-amplifier)
-
Very highly regarded indeed.
I'm slowly getting there, bought the Audio-gd NFB-16 and going for the balanced cables and then the RX3.
-
Eventually I hope to do an NFB-16 vs. O2 vs. Dragonfly vs. HP-P1 vs. DX-100 vs. balanced amps comparo as I'm being lent both an RSA and ALO. I don't have custom IEMs however.
-
I have quite a few portable amps and a few USB DACs (HRT MSPro, Audinst HUD-MX1, Audio-gd NFB-16 and will have the Leckerton UHA-6s2), but I definitely don't have the expertise to do any measurements etc...
Unless someone in Brisbane can do that stuff, seeing someone is organising a meet in Brisbane in November but then I'll be in Hong Kong (maybe Japan too) in those days, so I will probably meet up with googlei or whatever his name is. :P hahaha
-
I read about the new Leckerton, isn't 18dB extra gain overkill for portable use?
I mean I switched from my Clip + to a iRiver H10 (Rockboxed!) because the iRiver sounded more pleasant and a more powerful headphone out was needed. 10dB is more than enough in most situation or am I missing something?
-
I have a lot of questions about the leckerton too... i think it sounds like my stepdance, just a feeling...
-
I have a lot of questions about the leckerton too... i think it sounds like my stepdance, just a feeling...
Uh no....
Ask Marv if you don't believe me. He heard both when I had both though it was the Stepdance one, not 2. I know they use the same opamps now but there's more too it I'm sure. I started raving about the opa209 in the UHA6 mk1 then Jan switched to it in the new Stepdance and Nick makes it the default opamp. All coincidence. :)p17
-
Anax -- do you recommend going with the standard OPA209 over the OPA627 on the 6S.MKII as well?
-
Uh no....
Ask Marv if you don't believe me. He heard both when I had both though it was the Stepdance one, not 2. I know they use the same opamps now but there's more too it I'm sure. I started raving about the opa209 in the UHA6 mk1 then Jan switched to it in the new Stepdance and Nick makes it the default opamp. All coincidence. :)p17
Yeah, I don't have the 2stepdance which has got the op amp you mentioned and I have read the leckerton thread which you say the 627 for more 'tubey' sound too.
I didn't know why I had that feeling that they sound similar. :P So the leckerton is better than the stepdance?
-
Anax -- do you recommend going with the standard OPA209 over the OPA627 on the 6S.MKII as well?
In general terms yes if getting the most information from your tracks is what you want for your amp. The 8610 is more fun 'V' sounding but measures flat and has less separation and micro detail. The 627 would be best for brighter phones looking for more body and organic sound.
-
So the leckerton is better than the stepdance?
I can't say due to people's varying preferences and gear. For my tastes I hear more information and get less fatigue from the Leckerton w/ a 209 than the Stepdance or O2. All I can say w/o pointing to measures which the O2 should win on but doesn't based on listening for me. Can't find much data on Jan's stuff though I'd be more inclined to support his work than RS based on listening. The RX3/L3 are beasts on another level w/ different hits and misses.
-
Thanks...
-
I can't say due to people's varying preferences and gear. For my tastes I hear more information and get less fatigue from the Leckerton w/ a 209 than the Stepdance or O2. All I can say w/o pointing to measures which the O2 should win on but doesn't based on listening for me. Can't find much data on Jan's stuff though I'd be more inclined to support his work than RS based on listening. The RX3/L3 are beasts on another level w/ different hits and misses.
Think is, I've got pretty much most of the portable stuff if you look at my profile on HF (even I don't remember what I have at times because last time I touched my headphones stuff was at least a month ago) and people say that the stepdance with the 15v option sounds very good (which I have the energizer battery for) and it does sound good, and I am going to get the RX3 since I'm going to have some balanced cables.
So is the Leckerton worth my time? Considering that I have the Audio-gd NFB-16EN and the Audinst HUD-MX1 & HUD-mini? And my view is that I am going to use it as a USB DAC most of the time. Also money is no objection for me, I've spent 5 figures already... >_>
-
If you have sensitive CIEM, you should probably avoid the RX, they all have some level of hiss as far as I remember, the MK3 being better but not perfect. I've just received the Leckerton and it's a very well done all around, no lound transient when powering it, no discernible hiss with my CIEM, swappable op amps if you're into that sort of things. Soundwise it's a solid contender for sure, but I haven't had yet the opportunity to compare with worthy opponents, including the RX MK3.
Think is, I've got pretty much most of the portable stuff if you look at my profile on HF (even I don't remember what I have at times because last time I touched my headphones stuff was at least a month ago) and people say that the stepdance with the 15v option sounds very good (which I have the energizer battery for) and it does sound good, and I am going to get the RX3 since I'm going to have some balanced cables.
So is the Leckerton worth my time? Considering that I have the Audio-gd NFB-16EN and the Audinst HUD-MX1 & HUD-mini? And my view is that I am going to use it as a USB DAC most of the time. Also money is no objection for me, I've spent 5 figures already... >_>
-
Just got my RMA for the Audio-gd NFB-16EN, drivers still don't work for my Mac though, so can't use it, emailed them though.
Also got the Audinst HUD-mini, sounds good by itself through the built-in headphone amp but sounds great using the DAC to the Triad L3 > Beyer DT250.
EDIT: Sounds good on the HE-400 too.
-
Got my NFB-16en working, sounds good with HE-400, albeit a bit dark compared to the HUD-mini at first, but it gives a better (approachable?) lower listening volume.
-
(http://cdn.head-fi.org/3/3f/900x900px-LL-3f784fb6_LOLAMPS.jpeg)
Tried out all of these from the depths of my things... Literally have not touched the ALO amps, the O2 and the Stepdance for 4 months...
L3 is still the king then the AHA-120, I really want to buy the RX3 now.
-
I was thinking about the Zigis CMoys...
If one of those can drive a K601 I have to take note.
-
I only have the JDSLabs cmoybb but no AKG cans.
The L3 goes with the HE-400, whereas the AHA-120 goes with the LCD-2r2...
-
AHA120 would go with K701/2 without problems, the roll-off will prevent any harmful treble peak
-
AHA120 would go with K701/2 without problems, the roll-off will prevent any harmful treble peak
Disagree. The K701's peak is actually in the mids. The roll-off would exaggerate it further.
-
Not my experience :-Z Both the AHA120 and the K702 are gone now, but I had no peak problem. Switching to a more extended amp showed me the peak.
Disagree. The K701's peak is actually in the mids. The roll-off would exaggerate it further.
-
I'm considering a UHA-6 mkII. But I'm a bit undecided given the UHA-4 offers crossfeed and is also available with the opa209 option. How does the UHA-6 mkII compare with the UHA-4?
-
i dont have the uha6 but the uha4 (forgot what opamp is using) sounds pretty much like an agressive mini3 to me.
-
I'm considering a UHA-6 mkII. But I'm a bit undecided given the UHA-4 offers crossfeed and is also available with the opa209 option. How does the UHA-6 mkII compare with the UHA-4?
No idea how the 209 fairs in the 4 but the 6 is next level compared to the 4. That was compared side by side w/ 8610s in both.
-
i dont have the uha6 but the uha4 (forgot what opamp is using) sounds pretty much like an agressive mini3 to me.
If it sounds exciting and 'fun' for things like rock could be an 8610.
-
i dont have the uha6 but the uha4 (forgot what opamp is using) sounds pretty much like an agressive mini3 to me.
If it sounds exciting and 'fun' for things like rock could be an 8610.
After searching the owner's posts for it, it is indeed an 8610.
I grabbed the standard AD8610. It seemed to jive well with my taste based on what people said so I grabbed it. Which OPAMP are you gonna grab? Would love to hear the UHA-4 with a different OPAMP installed ;D
-
I'm going to stick with my National for the moment. At least for me, there is a big shadow hanging over this market segment: the Hummingbird.
-
I'm going to stick with my National for the moment. At least for me, there is a big shadow hanging over this market segment: the Hummingbird.
That is a massive shadow, incredibly foreboding as well. What is it?
-
Hopefully someone will compare the uha6 with the upcoming Apex Glacier.
Or someone will loan me their uha6 so I can compare it to my Glacier... I think I'm getting the first Glacier off the line.
-
I'm going to stick with my National for the moment. At least for me, there is a big shadow hanging over this market segment: the Hummingbird.
That is a massive shadow, incredibly foreboding as well. What is it?
Hummingbird is the iOS variant of the Dragonfly, allegedly coming to market in Q1 of 2013.
-
Interesting. Do you know any more details or pricing etc? Might it be a good amp as well?
-
Hopefully someone will compare the uha6 with the upcoming Apex Glacier.
Or someone will loan me their uha6 so I can compare it to my Glacier... I think I'm getting the first Glacier off the line.
Maybe we can arrange something. I think I still owe you an undersized t-shirt if I recall?
-
I'm going to stick with my National for the moment. At least for me, there is a big shadow hanging over this market segment: the Hummingbird.
That is a massive shadow, incredibly foreboding as well. What is it?
Hummingbird is the iOS variant of the Dragonfly, allegedly coming to market in Q1 of 2013.
Oh, other than size I know neither can beat the best portables out there. It's simply beyond the laws of physics. Good form factor though w/ good performance from what I hear. Can't hardly cast a shadow though.
-
Hopefully someone will compare the uha6 with the upcoming Apex Glacier.
Or someone will loan me their uha6 so I can compare it to my Glacier... I think I'm getting the first Glacier off the line.
Maybe we can arrange something. I think I still owe you an undersized t-shirt if I recall?
Hell yeah.
-
I'm going to stick with my National for the moment. At least for me, there is a big shadow hanging over this market segment: the Hummingbird.
That is a massive shadow, incredibly foreboding as well. What is it?
Hummingbird is the iOS variant of the Dragonfly, allegedly coming to market in Q1 of 2013.
Oh, other than size I know neither can beat the best portables out there. It's simply beyond the laws of physics. Good form factor though w/ good performance from what I hear. Can't hardly cast a shadow though.
If you haven't heard it, you should. You might be surprised. I'd be happy to arrange a demo for you at my office (Costa Mesa). PM if interested.
-
If you haven't heard it, you should. You might be surprised. I'd be happy to arrange a demo for you at my office (Costa Mesa). PM if interested.
I'd be happy to if your MAC can play my files. I'm sure it's good but there's no way it's got a better amp section than the UHA6S mk2, RX mk3, LISA or Portaphile 627. It's size and price combined really make that an impossibility. That's just IME and based on my understanding of topologies and other valid impressions I've come across. I don't others who have heard the Dragonfly feel it is a giant slayer except compared to less than stellar amps. I'd expect it to compete w/ my Arrow 4G but even then the two serve different purposes.
So what you are saying is the Dragonfly/Hummingbird will crush the ODAC or better feeding any of the aforementioned amps? I'd love to replace my portable rig w/ a magic bullet so I hope you are right.
-
If you haven't heard it, you should. You might be surprised. I'd be happy to arrange a demo for you at my office (Costa Mesa). PM if interested.
I'd be happy to if your MAC can play my files. I'm sure it's good but there's no way it's got a better amp section than the UHA6S mk2, RX mk3, LISA or Portaphile 627. It's size and price combined really make that an impossibility. That's just IME and based on my understanding of topologies and other valid impressions I've come across. I don't others who have heard the Dragonfly feel it is a giant slayer except compared to less than stellar amps. I'd expect it to compete w/ my Arrow 4G but even then the two serve different purposes.
So what you are saying is the Dragonfly/Hummingbird will crush the ODAC or better feeding any of the aforementioned amps? I'd love to replace my portable rig w/ a magic bullet so I hope you are right.
You've got mail.
-
after reading this thread I have gotten quite interested in the Leckerton UHA-6S mkII. does this thing work with an iPad + Camera Connection Kit if you disable the charging? anyone tried? :)
-
Yup, people use it w/ the camera connection kit and iPad all the time.
-
awesome, will probably invest in one of these once my budget allows. thanks!
-
Interested in the supposedly Hummingbird.
Dislike the new smilies though.
-
I finally got the diodes I needed so I could complete my O2. I only have the NE5532s though as the other OPAMPs are "restricted" if I try and order them through Mouser and I can't read enough Japanese to order components here.
There is no way, IMO, a USB-powered anything is going to "slay" a good battery powered amp. Just play some complex orchestral music through the Dragonfly and listen to the soundstage collapse.
-
There is no way, IMO, a USB-powered anything is going to "slay" a good battery powered amp. Just play some complex orchestral music through the Dragonfly and listen to the soundstage collapse.
Specifics, please. What recording, and "collapse" compared to what?
-
Heard some portable amps today at the meet. Gear was DX100 > Leckerton UHA6Smk2, Continental v.2, Decware Zenhead feeding the UERM. Not surprisingly the Continental got slaughtered in technicalities like resolution, speed and clarity. The Leckerton and Zenhead were much closer and both did well. The Zenhead had more lush/fluid mids versus the UHA6S but had slightly less resolving and controlled bass response.
I was looking for a Dragonfly to compare but everyone kept telling me there wasn't one so gave up. Apparently Purrin found one, oh well. Would lie to hear one in future to be sure but from prior experience the physics of such a device is just not going to compare well to more robust, well designed topologies. I would not be surprised if it was the relative size/performance king though for integrated units.
-
Btw, confirmed at the meet the Leckertons work w/ the iPad Mini via camera connection kit.
-
Why cant' they do the same thing with the iphone?
-
Ask Apple unless a camera kit for iPhones is already in the pre-production stage. For the 4S alone it would make a real difference given it's able to make good shots...
-
No love for the Arrow 4G
-
4G is good but its strengths are feature set and size. Sonically it competes w/ a lower tier of amps like the C421, UHA4, E11, etc. Next tier is the UHA6S and then moving up to the Triad L3, ALO RX3, Portaphile 627.
-
Ask Apple unless a camera kit for iPhones is already in the pre-production stage. For the 4S alone it would make a real difference given it's able to make good shots...
if you Jail Break your iPhone, you can go on Cydia (forgot what repository, but should be one of the default ones? at least for the JB I have experience with) and download Camera Connector (it is apparently not free though :() and it should work. not sure if there is any iOS version limitation or so though. might want to research that.
-
Just wanted to share my impressions of the portable Total BitHead amp. This is the first and only portable amp I own currently, and can only compare it against the Sansa Zip straight outputs. Therefore I'm not sure how this amp compares to others like the RX3, but I would definitively be curious about it.
No contest, Bithead is far overpriced for what it is, heck, it can't stand up to chinese amps.
It is "fuzzy" or "noisy" with anything that is sensitive and/or low or medium impedance (meaning most everything with minor exceptions, such as your DT990). Clearly not a generic amplifier for everything, unlike most of them. Feel free to measure it yourself.
==
@Anaxilus: Kudos for the measurements. I see that you strapped the hardest IEM load ever to exist* :)p2 to the amps and tested with a dynamic driver IEM only once. Care to measure with a more normal load too? Also, what are you measuring into?
Seems that RMAA is doing something weird calculating noise levels too. E.g. Leckerton UHA-6 is about -110 dB(A) given the picture, but it says it's -90 dB(A). I wouldn't trust it for anything after that. Pity actual signal analyzers are expensive. However, a good software analyzer should work well. (Either dScope or TrueRTA, neither is free obviously.)
*Triple.fi 10, which dips to 6 Ohm at highest end, making anything with nonzero output impedance roll off. Also high capacitance, so many amps have degraded IMD at highest end. Also, there might be something even harder to drive around.
-
You'll have to ask Markus Kraus himself actually.
-
Heard some portable amps today at the meet. Gear was DX100 > Leckerton UHA6Smk2, Continental v.2, Decware Zenhead feeding the UERM. Not surprisingly the Continental got slaughtered in technicalities like resolution, speed and clarity. The Leckerton and Zenhead were much closer and both did well. The Zenhead had more lush/fluid mids versus the UHA6S but had slightly less resolving and controlled bass response.
I was looking for a Dragonfly to compare but everyone kept telling me there wasn't one so gave up. Apparently Purrin found one, oh well. Would lie to hear one in future to be sure but from prior experience the physics of such a device is just not going to compare well to more robust, well designed topologies. I would not be surprised if it was the relative size/performance king though for integrated units.
My offer for you to come to my office and play with my Dragonfly is still open.
-
[size=78%]My offer for you to come to my office and play with my Dragonfly is still open.[/size]
Noted, as soon as I get some time. Thanks for that.
-
If a portable amp doesn't have crossfeed it's dead to me...
Not many portable amps have crossfeed on them.
I've heard the Corda2Move's crossfeed. Hardly impressive.
The only other crossfeed amp I've heard is the Phonitor. Now the Phonitor is something else.... but at 2k.. lol..
-
Have decided on a Leckerton UHA-6SmkII.
Now, given it will be used as a portable, possibly in close proximity to a phone, should I go for the AD8610ARZ that's the current standard (if it's true that it's less prone to interference issues), or the OPA209 for its SQ benefits? Anyone done a comparison between these units?
I'm sure the differences are very small, but given I'll probably be using the amp with a Paradox, I wouldn't mind a bit of optimizing.
Thanks.
-
The OPA209 is sensitive to 2G signals, but not 3G. My telco (Softbank Japan) doesn't use 2G and I've never heard RF in my Leckerton here. However I have heard it when I went on a business trip abroad. If your phone only uses 3G, you're most likely good with the OPA209.
Have decided on a Leckerton UHA-6SmkII.
Now, given it will be used as a portable, possibly in close proximity to a phone, should I go for the AD8610ARZ that's the current standard (if it's true that it's less prone to interference issues), or the OPA209 for its SQ benefits? Anyone done a comparison between these units?
I'm sure the differences are very small, but given I'll probably be using the amp with a Paradox, I wouldn't mind a bit of optimizing.
Thanks.
-
Have decided on a Leckerton UHA-6SmkII.
Now, given it will be used as a portable, possibly in close proximity to a phone, should I go for the AD8610ARZ that's the current standard (if it's true that it's less prone to interference issues), or the OPA209 for its SQ benefits? Anyone done a comparison between these units?
I'm sure the differences are very small, but given I'll probably be using the amp with a Paradox, I wouldn't mind a bit of optimizing.
Thanks.
From the manufacturer: http://www.leckertonaudio.com/2012/11/choosing-output-op-amps/
Plenty of discussion about opamps and their differences on the thread at HF: http://www.head-fi.org/t/602493/new-leckerton-uha-6s-mkii-portable-headphone-amplifier-announced-update-user-impressions-added-july-20th-2012
I know Anax prefers the 209, but as for the particulars he would have to speak up himself.
-
Particular what? That I find the 209 more resolving? I'm not the only one including many well regarded ears and the opinion and measurements of Nick Leckerton himself. The 8610 is underperforming by comparison and I'd call it colored. The only reason to get one is avoidance of GSM from using a phone and preferring a less resolving signature that's more 'entertaining' on the treble and bass end of things. This is supported by impressions everywhere. Except for Lee who likes using a FX700 w/ a Hisound V DAP. Both very colored. Nobody in their right mind thinks the 209 is brighter than the 8610 like Lee has been spouting off for pages. That was until he recently confessed he had no idea wtf he is talking about after being called on it by shotgunshane, uelover and others.
The day I consider a V-shaped headphone w/ the worst, driest mids, accentuated treble and bass plugged into a bright DAP 'reference' is the day I ask a Head-fi nub for advice on opamps. The 209 became the default opamp for the mk2 until recently when either Lee started pushing the 8610 on new buyers due to his tastes and/or people complained about gsm interference. It sounds V shaped and less resolving to me but then I think the Pico Slim was also slightly boosted in the low low end which fatigued me and a few others.
My comparisons of the 8610/209/627 are in the Leckerton UHA6S page. The mark 1.
-
Particular what?
Pretty much everything you just said :)p1
-
Particular what? That I find the 209 more resolving? I'm not the only one including many well regarded ears and the opinion and measurements of Nick Leckerton himself. The 8610 is underperforming by comparison and I'd call it colored. The only reason to get one is avoidance of GSM from using a phone and preferring a less resolving signature that's more 'entertaining' on the treble and bass end of things. This is supported by impressions everywhere. Except for Lee who likes using a FX700 w/ a Hisound V DAP. Both very colored. Nobody in their right mind thinks the 209 is brighter than the 8610 like Lee has been spouting off for pages. That was until he recently confessed he had no idea wtf he is talking about after being called on it by shotgunshane, uelover and others.
The day I consider a V-shaped headphone w/ the worst, driest mids, accentuated treble and bass plugged into a bright DAP 'reference' is the day I ask a Head-fi nub for advice on opamps. The 209 became the default opamp for the mk2 until recently when either Lee started pushing the 8610 on new buyers due to his tastes and/or people complained about gsm interference. It sounds V shaped and less resolving to me but then I think the Pico Slim was also slightly boosted in the low low end which fatigued me and a few others.
My comparisons of the 8610/209/627 are in the Leckerton UHA6S page. The mark 1.
Thanks for the reply.
Only browsed through the MKII thread and couldn't find any direct comparisons or many sensible arguments at all, for that matter. Will have a quick look through the UHA6S thread as well.
Also you pretty much nailed the reason why I didn't ask this at HF. Almost did though...
GSM/2G in Finland at the moment. But I rarely get the interference with my Voyager either, so maybe the 209 won't be such a problem.
-
Maybe means nothing, maybe means everything.
http://scientistsaudio.blogspot.jp/ (http://scientistsaudio.blogspot.jp/)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PXbBQAk9-GE/T-0Czde0okI/AAAAAAAACfc/56zGX_3-xCQ/s1600/O2+Leckerton+on+Real+Loads+In+-10+dBV,+out+100+mV+Legend.png)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JWqLlFtNdZU/T-0Cz6Q8R4I/AAAAAAAACfg/Un9X_fjV13g/s1600/O2+Leckerton+on+Real+Loads+In+-10+dBV,+out+100+mV.png)
-
Very reassuring graphs again.
Won't be using IEM's too much, but seems they perform very well regardless of load.
-
@Anaxilus: Kudos for the measurements. I see that you strapped the hardest IEM load ever to exist* :)p2 to the amps and tested with a dynamic driver IEM only once. Care to measure with a more normal load too? Also, what are you measuring into?
Seems that RMAA is doing something weird calculating noise levels too. E.g. Leckerton UHA-6 is about -110 dB(A) given the picture, but it says it's -90 dB(A). I wouldn't trust it for anything after that. Pity actual signal analyzers are expensive. However, a good software analyzer should work well. (Either dScope or TrueRTA, neither is free obviously.)
*Triple.fi 10, which dips to 6 Ohm at highest end, making anything with nonzero output impedance roll off. Also high capacitance, so many amps have degraded IMD at highest end. Also, there might be something even harder to drive around.
I'd assume that's the point of using something like the TripleFi. It's supposed to be hard. Also, since RMAA doesn't calculate Zout you use a load like the TripleFi to infer it.
Not many portable amps have crossfeed on them.
I've heard the Corda2Move's crossfeed. Hardly impressive.
The only other crossfeed amp I've heard is the Phonitor. Now the Phonitor is something else.... but at 2k.. lol..
Well if I'm stationary I don't really need it as much since I can use TB Isone (http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-isone/) with anything I play through foobar and I use a multichannel to binaural DSP in ffdshow for movies. With other stuff on my PC that I can't route though an arbitrary DSP like web streaming or games I've been using my UHA-4 instead of my ODAC to add the crossfeed.
I just got a bunch of film cap in today though so I'm going to make my own crossfeed filter.
Maybe means nothing, maybe means everything.
http://scientistsaudio.blogspot.jp/ (http://scientistsaudio.blogspot.jp/)
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PXbBQAk9-GE/T-0Czde0okI/AAAAAAAACfc/56zGX_3-xCQ/s1600/O2+Leckerton+on+Real+Loads+In+-10+dBV,+out+100+mV+Legend.png)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JWqLlFtNdZU/T-0Cz6Q8R4I/AAAAAAAACfg/Un9X_fjV13g/s1600/O2+Leckerton+on+Real+Loads+In+-10+dBV,+out+100+mV.png)
What's the Zout on the MKII? I don't see it on Nick's site.
-
I've asked about it via email, it's < 0.5 Ohm.
One hand-built O2 I've tested had 1.25 Ohm.
That 0.75 dB difference on O2 w/ TF10 might be just about audible...
-
I've asked about it via email, it's < 0.5 Ohm.
One hand-built O2 I've tested had 1.25 Ohm.
That 0.75 dB difference on O2 w/ TF10 might be just about audible...
Hmm...
The O2 is supposed to be .5 ohm too but with hand building I guess there's more room for error...
-
Actually the 0.5Ohm Zout on the O2 can cause problems with BA's. That's actually one of my major gripes about the amp (that and the sound sig). This contradicts the promise that it will drive perfectly any reasonable dynamic headphone.
P.S. The zero ohm Zout is an ideal concept that doesn't work in reality that way. You can get extremely low Zout but ultimately you get limited by cable/contact surface impedance.
-
Actually the 0.5Ohm Zout on the O2 can cause problems with BA's. That's actually one of my major gripes about the amp (that and the sound sig). This contradicts the promise that it will drive perfectly any reasonable dynamic headphone.
P.S. The zero ohm Zout is an ideal concept that doesn't work in reality that way. You can get extremely low Zout but ultimately you get limited by cable/contact surface impedance.
You'd need a pretty wild impedance curve, even by BA IEM standards, for that to be audible. Is there anything like that?
-
By problems I mean low damping factor. Flabalanche.
As for impedance dips, most likely they won't be audible.
-
By problems I mean low damping factor. Flabalanche.
As for impedance dips, most likely they won't be audible.
Do BAs even need good damping factor? It doesn't seem like it would be that important to that kind of design. It's never something I've noticed either (at least over the FR aberrations...) and adding series resistors to manipulate the FR is somewhat common among both manufacturers and users.
I mean the ER4S is just an ER4P an extra 75R or something in series to bring up the treble. Is the S a 'flabalanche' compared to the P? I'm seriously asking, I've never heard either.
-
I think the problem lies with the cross-over, in multi-driver models.
Do BAs even need good damping factor? It doesn't seem like it would be that important to that kind of design. It's never something I've noticed either (at least over the FR aberrations...) and adding series resistors to manipulate the FR is somewhat common among both manufacturers and users.
I mean the ER4S is just an ER4P an extra 75R or something in series to bring up the treble. Is the S a 'flabalanche' compared to the P? I'm seriously asking, I've never heard either.
-
Yeah, I can attest to those ER4S adapters making the TG!334 sound like ass.
-
I think the problem lies with the cross-over, in multi-driver models.
Half an ohm is going to mess up a crossover that much? I guess it's possible but how common would it be.
Yeah, I can attest to those ER4S adapters making the TG!334 sound like ass.
I'm sure it makes a lot of IEMs sound like like ass but I'm not sure how you'd separate the change in FR from the change in damping factor.
-
Not so much cases, I agree. I tried to do a quick calculation the other day, for the sake of argument and just to have an idea of the difference between 0.1 ohms and 0.5 ohms. assuming an IEM with a nominal impedance of 21 ohms (most likely at 1khz), and a dip to 8 ohms in the treble, you get a difference of about 0.3dB.
I guess it would begin to be audible for most people at somewhere between 1 and 2 ohms.
The graph up there shows about 0.7dB of difference between the Leckerton and the O2. Is it just the Zout that's higher than the 0.5 Ohm quoted by JDS Labs, or something else ? Your guess is as good as mine.
Half an ohm is going to mess up a crossover that much? I guess it's possible but how common would it be.
-
The graph up there shows about 0.7dB of difference between the Leckerton and the O2. Is it just the Zout that's higher than the 0.5 Ohm quoted by JDS Labs, or something else ? Your guess is as good as mine.
I think golden ears has an impedance plot for the W4 so the Zout's of those units can be calculated.
Too tired to bother with that right now though...
-
You mean this ? (http://en.goldenears.net/en/files/attach/images/108/511/012/fd51e2e3c37145f43bafef922f59b974.png)
Looks fairly similar to me. At least shape wise.
I think golden ears has an impedance plot for the W4 so the Zout's of those units can be calculated.
Too tired to bother with that right now though...
-
Howdy pirates! :wheel:
May I request some enlightment on my first post in this great forum?
I'm in the process of trying to sell my Yulong D100 Dac/Amp to "upgrade" to something better ampwise without compromissing on the Dac section(maybe a little). my budget is 3-400$.
At current state of head-fi equipement it seems to me that I can actually make an upgrade from the Yulong D100 while at the same time spending less... if I'm smart I might even get out of this with a small profit...
My headphone is a GMP 400 300Ohm and I plan to buy a Sennheiser HD6x0 or DT880 in the near future.
It will be used as a stationary desktop system just like the D100 with both of these Headphones and some IEMs.
It doesn't have to be only this, though... it would be nice if there was some portability factor in the equation.
I must say that what really drives me to move from the Yulong D100 is it's amp section which I find somewhat limited for my modded GMP 400 and not very transparent... compared to the little Sansa clip+ it has a certain treble glare (digital glare?) that is not natural and the bass and lower mids sound thinned-out, it is bright, unpleasently bright and I could go on and on my issues with this amp... it seems like it's trying to sound transparent but it really isn't.
The sonic attribute I most value is transparency.
My initial plan was to just go with the Odac/O2 combo and be done with it.
Further search and reading, however, suggested that there is better than the O2 within my budget.
Right now my plan is to get the Odac + ?? preferably solid state at max 300$. (Don't like the hassle of tubes and DIY...)
My long search for a suitable amp upgrade has brought me unexpectedly to the portable amp market...
I'm not sure if I'm doing my search right, and probably I'm not, but right now I feel like I need a definitive answer to the following question:
Am I right to think that certain sub-500$ portable dac/Amps like the UHA-6s, Dacport, Portaphile 627, can perform as good or better as most similarly priced sub 500$ desktop solid-state amps to drive most headphones?
Or am I wrong?
It's just that I've noticed a trend on Head-fi that is favoring much more portable amps discussions than SS full sizes in this price range...
And why is it that here at Changstar there's almost no amp talk other than portables and a few high-end fulls?
Are we watching to the take over of the sub-500$ SS desktop amp segment by the portable amp market or what?
Probably a silly question?
What should be the ss amp to get below the 300$ tab for someone who values transparency?
Before I would expect that a desktop solution like an m-stage or asgard would be the schiit to get, but now I'm not so sure...
Hard to believe that a portable can outperform a desktop with a good open headphone of >300Ohms...
Where lies the real value right now?
Could some experienced ears enlighten me, please?
Or rather fix up my mind?
-
We've started to become real sticklers for having our new crew mates posting up an introduction... I am sure you'll get more replies to your questions if you go here: http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,302.0.html (http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,302.0.html) and say "Ahoy mates!" to the rest of the pirates. ahoy
-
My headphone is a GMP 400 300Ohm and I plan to buy a Sennheiser HD6x0 or DT880 in the near future.
It will be used as a stationary desktop system just like the D100 with both of these Headphones and some IEMs.
It doesn't have to be only this, though... it would be nice if there was some portability factor in the equation.
I must say that what really drives me to move from the Yulong D100 is it's amp section which I find somewhat limited for my modded GMP 400 and not very transparent... compared to the little Sansa clip+ it has a certain treble glare (digital glare?) that is not natural and the bass and lower mids sound thinned-out, it is bright, unpleasently bright and I could go on and on my issues with this amp... it seems like it's trying to sound transparent but it really isn't.
The sonic attribute I most value is transparency.
My initial plan was to just go with the Odac/O2 combo and be done with it.
Further search and reading, however, suggested that there is better than the O2 within my budget.
Right now my plan is to get the Odac + ?? preferably solid state at max 300$. (Don't like the hassle of tubes and DIY...)
My long search for a suitable amp upgrade has brought me unexpectedly to the portable amp market...
I'm not sure if I'm doing my search right, and probably I'm not, but right now I feel like I need a definitive answer to the following question:
Am I right to think that certain sub-500$ portable dac/Amps like the UHA-6s, Dacport, Portaphile 627, can perform as good or better as most similarly priced sub 500$ desktop solid-state amps to drive most headphones?
Or am I wrong?
Are we watching to the take over of the sub-500$ SS desktop amp segment by the portable amp market or what?
Probably a silly question?
What should be the ss amp to get below the 300$ tab for someone who values transparency?
Before I would expect that a desktop solution like an m-stage or asgard would be the schiit to get, but now I'm not so sure...
Hard to believe that a portable can outperform a desktop with a good open headphone of >300Ohms...
Where lies the real value right now?
Could some experienced ears enlighten me, please?
Or rather fix up my mind?
A (portable) headphone amp that can drive very low AND high impedance headphones is not easy to design.
Technically different demands need to be met:
For low impedance, meaning 8 to 32 Ohm (IE for instance) we do NOT need a high voltage (3V-6V power supply could do) but the design needs higher current capabilities. Preferably the internal power supply should have at least 2200uF on each power rail if portable AND split power supply. It also must have a very good S/N ratio. These demands imply a low output resistance as well < 2 Ohm as IE monitors tend to be all over the place in impedance in sonically critical areas. The gain of the amplifier is between 1 to 2 times.
For medium impedance (40 to 120 Ohm) we need a power supply voltage of about 9V-12V and not a whole lot of current capabilities. Most headphones in that range prefer a low output resistance, but some headphones simply sound better on higher output resistances. This feature will not be present and the output R will generally be between 1 and 10 Ohm. Most simple amps (C'Moy type) will be capable of delivering enough voltage and current and have low enough S/N ratios. The gain of such an amplifier needs to be between 2 and 5 times in general.
For high impedance headphones (250 Ohm+ e.t.c.) you need a higher voltage (say 18V-24V for portable or even higher) but you do not need a lot of current. 100uF power supply caps on the voltage rails would do already, SN/ratio isn't that important. output resistances between 1 and 50Ohm will do. If you want to drive say HD800 or K(Q)701/2 a 100 Ohm output resistance (or in that neighbourhood) would probably give the best sonic results. The gain needed is between 3 and 10 times.
It's why it pays to have different amplifiers for different circumstances/sources/headphones.
I cannot say which amp meets all the criteria as your choice would, beside the technical demands, also depend on preference and some subjective things as well.
How much you are going to spend does not equal how well it is going to sound (subjectively).
What sounds good to person A may sound crap to person B.
So giving proper advice appears harder as it seems :-\.
There is no one correct answer nor solution (even-though some are of the opinion only theirs IS)
-
I couldn't ask for a better enlightment.
Always good to have a proper dose of knowledge and pragmatism before drowing money away.
That's a much better sense of perspective than I had in mind.
Thanks a lot Solderdude!
-
Has anyone tried the JDSlabs CMOY or PA2V2 for the HD-650? It'd be nice to get an extra portable amp (under $100) for my DJ100 and HD-650 to use around the house.
I love the Total Airhead but it's kind of awkward to fit in a pocket. The E11 i'm just not too thrilled about. My DJ100 just isn't the same with it, but still pretty good.
I don't think there's a headphone the Airhead can't drive (OK, maybe not so well with IEMs) well enough. Sure maybe the K1000 or K400.
It gets loud enough with my Sextett (and sounds good), but struggles a bit with my K601.
-
I have an E11, I never liked it once. If you have the time and space at hand build your own CMoy and improve the power input and headphone out. There are many 'how-to-build-a-...' on the web.
Solderdude made some nice articles about CMoys...
-
PA2V2 is a current amp. Not too optimal for a high ohmer.
As for the CMOY- go for it. It'll be a great experience. And we all know that self made amps sound the best even when they don't.
-
Has anyone on here had a chance to hear the new CLAS db yet? I'm curious to know if the new chip sounds better then the old CLAS.
-
Hey pirates. I'm looking for more knowledge. I am quiet ignorant on what is desirable in a portable headphone amplifier. For example what should I be looking for, what would be the difference between getting the UHA-6mkII or the ALO Rx Mk3B.
Any good reading material on how I should be judging such amplifiers? Especially in regards to supra aural headphones (I love my dt1350's) with higher than IEM impedance. I think the dt1350 has 80 Ohms.
I would like to become educated on the topic before sinking my pirates treasure chest into a purchase. I would appreciate your knowledgeable direction :)p7 Thanks! :)p7
-
Hey pirates. I'm looking for more knowledge. I am quiet ignorant on what is desirable in a portable headphone amplifier. For example what should I be looking for, what would be the difference between getting the UHA-6mkII or the ALO Rx Mk3B.
Any good reading material on how I should be judging such amplifiers? Especially in regards to supra aural headphones (I love my dt1350's) with higher than IEM impedance. I think the dt1350 has 80 Ohms.
I would like to become educated on the topic before sinking my pirates treasure chest into a purchase. I would appreciate your knowledgeable direction :)p7 Thanks! :)p7
So, we know which headphones you are likely to use, a few more pieces of information might be helpful...
What do you plan to use as a source? Are you thinking of adding a dedicated DAC?
Are you looking to have a truly portable (small) set up, or something more "transportable" (think brick)?
Assuming the 1350's are your primary, do you plan to use IEM's as well?
I think you can see where I'm going with a few of these questions, they will help narrow what amps are right for you.
-
iPod classic 7th gen with Line out to bypass amp as source, if I get a dedicated DAC it will be in the future, only focused on an amp right now, size is of no object as long as it fits in my pants pockets.
All in all, I'd like to know why you pick one amp over another, so I can run through the process in my head as well and use it to educate further amp purchases. I'd rather that, than simple recommendations to buy an amp, without the reason why.
-
Well, that is where we are headed. Just getting the basics because that sets the stage.
For instance, you want something that's going to fit in your pants pocket, you had better start looking at much smaller options than the MKiii, unless you have some large pockets. Maybe more along the lines of the Pico slim...
I ask about IEM's because a lot of portables out there are terrible maches for highly efficient IEM's and will leave you with a noisy sound floor and difficult gain control and potentially channel splitting at low volumes.
These are the kinds of things to consider so you can short list, set a budget, and then start comparing the nuts and bolts to see what's best.
-
My budget is $1000, and I am not planning on using with iem's also my pant pockets are large and will surely fit the ALO and leckerton. I just wonder what is the different between the Leckerton and the ALO and how can these differences be described, what makes the ALO cost 2.5x more?
-
So here is my simplified take on the portable market. It is best to think of them as modular because many of them use variations of the same theme.
The modules would consist of the following:
1. Lets start with the most important bit, the amplification module itself. Someone can correct me if I am wrong but as of this time, all the portable amps are based on some or other opamp. The chosen opamp varies and some even allow the “rolling” of opamps to enable the user to find the poison they prefer.
a. There are some tricks used –
i. adding in buffers which could either be discrete or another chip. The value of a buffer is that it adds to the amplifiers ability to supply current needed in some situations. ( we will not discuss voltage swing versus current abilities for high and low impedance headphones )
ii. Biasing the chips into “Class A” Tangent has written on this http://tangentsoft.net/audio/opamp-bias.html
iii. Adding tubes into the mix – not many portables do this as it actually takes much more effort to get all the voltages for the tube and keep things compact. ALO, Millet and GoVibe are the only ones I know of.
iv. Balanced
My problem with any opamp is that it has about 110dB of gain and thus requires huge amounts of feedback to pull the output back down to anything that is practical ( ie going from million x to 8x ). It is just the nature of the beast but high feedback amps have inherent signatures which low or non feedback amps don’t. Don’t get me wrong, I am not one of those people who feel feedback is evil, I just prefer not using massive amounts of it if it can be avoided. I have hopes that we will see a discrete , low feedback portable, we can but keep the dream alive.
2. Power supply. This is probably the part that most people give little to no consideration when thinking about amplifiers but is actually a crucial part of portable amplifier design. Some use highly advanced power supplies ( the chip tech has made some incredible advances for our portable landscape ), some use simple rail splitters , obviously all use a battery. Most all portables today include a dac and thus USB is pretty standard. Some can charge from the usb, others need an independent jack. Ground planes probably fall into this module too so worth visiting here. Ground plane isolation is either done by careful/clever design, some amplifiers “float” the ground plane while others use an active ground plane ( eg mini 3 ) to separate the signal ground from power supply ground via an active buffer.
3. Input options. As mentioned, USB dac is pretty much par for the course. I have not investigated the chips used but there are essentially 2 options, use a chip like the pcm2704 which has a usb receiver and dac incorporated into a single chip, or use 2 chips, one to receive the usb signal and a higher acclaimed dac chip which generally do not have built in usb input. Most have an analogue input option too. As many DAC chips put out a balanced signal option, the trend for portable balanced amps is increasing. This is a subject unto itself.
This should be enough food for thought.
..dB
-
I need a good portable amp the size of clip+. :)p1
-
Maybe there should just be a Clip++...?
:wheel: IMod, meet ClipMod!
-
I need a good portable amp the size of clip+. :)p1
That would be great.
-
iii. Adding tubes into the mix – not many portables do this as it actually takes much more effort to get all the voltages for the tube and keep things compact. ALO, Millet and GoVibe are the only ones I know of.
..dB
There is also the very cheap Little Bear B-1. (a cheap e-bay jobby)
I extracted the schematics a while ago and made some suggestions to improve it.
(http://i837.photobucket.com/albums/zz296/solderdude/LittleBearB-1mods.jpg)
here downloadable in higher res.
schematic: http://www.mediafire.com/view/?ycy89y499dbqe81
here is a thread about it... when I used to be resident at that place.
http://rockgrotto.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=b&action=display&thread=8384
Don't own one, never heard one, don't sell it, have no affiliations ...
It's a portable amp with tube so fit's this thread.
-
I have one of those Bear B1's! I won it for .99 cents on ebay! Woot. Anyone who is in the "all amps sound alike" camp needs to hear this amp, because it is really bad. It might be interesting to make the changes and see if it gets better! At first glance I'm wondering if it will still fit in the stock enclosure after the mods?
-
I have one of those Bear B1's! I won it for .99 cents on ebay! Woot. Anyone who is in the "all amps sound alike" camp needs to hear this amp, because it is really bad. It might be interesting to make the changes and see if it gets better! At first glance I'm wondering if it will still fit in the stock enclosure after the mods?
I followed the links posted above and out of curiosity I nearly bought one. Thanks for saying something and stopping me from wasting my hard earned bones on crap. From the pictures the case work it looks a little rough but cute none the less. To bad it sucks
-
The little bear is not too far off a Millett Starving student which is itself a variant of the super simple 6DJ8 amp
Millett : http://www.pmillett.com/starving.htm
(http://www.pmillett.com/images/starvi1.gif)
Super simple 6DJ8
(http://frank.redpin.com/~urbex/6dj8-schematic-small.png)
To make it portable a chip in unity gain was used as a buffer and a tube with lower heater current ( 300mA as opposed to 600mA ) . Running the tube at lower B+ is going to cause the sound to be compressed, "musical" if you like with a good glob of harmonic distortion .
There are several way to improve the sound and keep it in the compact chassis but ultimate limitation is going to be the 12V battery supply - without a switcher to get higher B+, you are limited to running the tube inadequately. There is a lot of early discussion around this on Headwize and sijosea made a pretty neat little tin amp ( but still needed an external supply )
http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/diy_sijosae/19816
(http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/diy_sijosae/files/attach/images/132/816/019/abb8aa0a9c13a7220046ab77940a04ba.)
(http://www.headphoneamp.co.kr/diy_sijosae/files/attach/images/132/816/019/2535e16de3af0f7f2b65872713a52157.)
This is why I love DIY :) = but getting way off topic
..dB
-
I've seen pics of that amp before. I think pics was once posted on head-fi by someone. Would putting something like that together with external power supply be expensive?
-
basic parts cost ~ $50 ish , 10 x attempts to get it to work or paying someone to make it work in such a small chassis ~ $$$ :)p8
-
It could be made $20 with transistors. So it's a starving snob amp. :)p3
Bang for buck, nothing really beats ye olde CMoy with LM4562.
-
Oh by the way, I've recently secured a reviewer spot on the Tralucent Audio review tour as well as a spot on the Venturecraft Go-Dap DD Socket 1 tour. I'll be reviewing and giving feedback for the Tralucent Audio's IEM as well as their T1 amp and Venturecraft's DD Socket 1 mobile DAC. Once I get some impressions down I'll check back in with my findings.
T1 amp
http://www.tralucentaudio.com/shop/index.php/portable-amplifier/tralucent-audio-t1-portable-amplifier.html (http://www.tralucentaudio.com/shop/index.php/portable-amplifier/tralucent-audio-t1-portable-amplifier.html)
Go-Dap DD Socket 1
http://venturecraft.jp/gadget_en/news.php?news_id=36 (http://venturecraft.jp/gadget_en/news.php?news_id=36)
-
There is also the very cheap Little Bear B-1. (a cheap e-bay jobby)
That one sucks only due to the electrolytics in the signal path. Replace them with something respectable ASAP and it should sound ok, if not the most noise free.
Dropping bias is actually not a good idea with this amp.
Anyway, it's a tube. I wonder where they get the tubes to make it .99 c. While the triode used there is quite junk, it isn't that cheap.
-
Audioquest Dragonfly review: http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,687.msg15436/topicseen.html#new (http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,687.msg15436/topicseen.html#new)
-
Apex Glacier comparison. http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,798.msg18915.html#msg18915
-
Right now I'm trying to find a second, complementary portable amp to go along with my UHA-6S.
I went ahead and ordered the Apex Glacier. My experience thus far hasn't been very positive, however. The main issue is hiss on even the lowest gain setting with my IEMs; additionally the amp seems to be picking up some noise when it's near my notebook which seems odd as it's shielded. This occurs even when I'm not running it via USB and instead using the amp's internal battery. Speaking of USB, every time I plug or unplug the amp's cable, the amp itself will no longer power on unless I reset it. I've had to reset it like ten times thus far.
So back it goes. I'll be giving a second Glacier a shot since this behavior isn't normal based on what I've read about the amp. The SRM-002 is also going to Yama at some point to get serviced due to its noise issue in eco mode. What is it with me and noisy amps? Seems like a string of bad luck.
As far as SQ goes, the Glacier sounded very good in my opinion. It's an airy, open, and detailed sounding amp. The UHA-6S sounds more natural to me however.
Question is, where do I go from there if the Glacier doesn't work out ultimately?
~> At the top of my list of considerations is the Pico Slim. Comes in purple! The Pico Power seems interesting, but I'd be worried it wouldn't be very quiet with sensitive IEMs.
~> I'm mulling over the idea of getting a CLAS -dB to use with my notebook at the office, and even going so far as to return to using an iDevice for music (paired with the CLAS). Combined with the Pico Slim, this might result in a nice but rather bulky combination. Given the nature of the CLAS anyway, I'd just be using the Pico Slim with any non-iDevice DAPs.
~> Along those lines, the CEntrance HiFi M8 seems interesting. I'm assuming one can bypass the iDevice support and just use the amp section with a DAP? My understanding is that it'll also function as a USB DAC / amp combo for my notebook as well.
~> The Decware Zenhead is seldom mentioned on head-fi. It's been around for a while and costs more than the UHA-6S but less than the Glacier. Scant impressions suggest it has a "very warm" and "very analog" type of sound, which I sort of translate into "a bit mushy." Not exactly what I'm looking for at the moment.
~> The RSA Intruder interests me for some reason. It's got an built-in DAC, so when paired with my notebook it would potentially fulfill my office needs. Using the balanced output with IEMs is also intriguing, though again I'm wondering about noise levels. Not to mention the RSA house sound.
~> Of course, there's a certain secret something on the horizon that I'm looking forward to, though it still seems far off enough to warrant putting it out of my mind for the time being.
-
Right now I'm trying to find a second, complementary portable amp to go along with my UHA-6S.
I went ahead and ordered the Apex Glacier. My experience thus far hasn't been very positive, however. The main issue is hiss on even the lowest gain setting with my IEMs; additionally the amp seems to be picking up some noise when it's near my notebook which seems odd as it's shielded. This occurs even when I'm not running it via USB and instead using the amp's internal battery. Speaking of USB, every time I plug or unplug the amp's cable, the amp itself will no longer power on unless I reset it. I've had to reset it like ten times thus far.
So back it goes. I'll be giving a second Glacier a shot since this behavior isn't normal based on what I've read about the amp. The SRM-002 is also going to Yama at some point to get serviced due to its noise issue in eco mode. What is it with me and noisy amps? Seems like a string of bad luck.
As far as SQ goes, the Glacier sounded very good in my opinion. It's an airy, open, and detailed sounding amp. The UHA-6S sounds more natural to me however.
Question is, where do I go from there if the Glacier doesn't work out ultimately?
~> At the top of my list of considerations is the Pico Slim. Comes in purple! The Pico Power seems interesting, but I'd be worried it wouldn't be very quiet with sensitive IEMs.
~> I'm mulling over the idea of getting a CLAS -dB to use with my notebook at the office, and even going so far as to return to using an iDevice for music (paired with the CLAS). Combined with the Pico Slim, this might result in a nice but rather bulky combination. Given the nature of the CLAS anyway, I'd just be using the Pico Slim with any non-iDevice DAPs.
~> Along those lines, the CEntrance HiFi M8 seems interesting. I'm assuming one can bypass the iDevice support and just use the amp section with a DAP? My understanding is that it'll also function as a USB DAC / amp combo for my notebook as well.
~> The Decware Zenhead is seldom mentioned on head-fi. It's been around for a while and costs more than the UHA-6S but less than the Glacier. Scant impressions suggest it has a "very warm" and "very analog" type of sound, which I sort of translate into "a bit mushy." Not exactly what I'm looking for at the moment.
~> The RSA Intruder interests me for some reason. It's got an built-in DAC, so when paired with my notebook it would potentially fulfill my office needs. Using the balanced output with IEMs is also intriguing, though again I'm wondering about noise levels. Not to mention the RSA house sound.
~> Of course, there's a certain secret something on the horizon that I'm looking forward to, though it still seems far off enough to warrant putting it out of my mind for the time being.
Check out VorzAMP Pure, it's fantastic with low impedance phones. Actually the best amp I've tried in the portble domain. Not equally good with trickier loads like orthos and such, but not too bad either. However I prefer Rx MkIII for orthos.
It can't handle hot sources (> 1Vrms) in stock form, but you can ask Vorzüge to lower the gain if you plan on using e.g. a CLAS or such.
-
MP, you can't really go wrong with a Pico Slim, it's just great with IEMs. Also 50 hours or so of battery. Soundwise, the Leckerton is probably better though (lower noise floor, blacker background).
-
-Check out VorzAMP Pure, it's fantastic with low impedance phones. Actually the best amp I've tried in the portble domain. Not equally good with trickier loads like orthos and such, but not too bad either. However I prefer Rx MkIII for orthos.
It can't handle hot sources (> 1Vrms) in stock form, but you can ask Vorzüge to lower the gain if you plan on using e.g. a CLAS or such.
-
So VorzAMP is it suitable to be used as the LOD amp for iPod classic? I can't find the stats about iPod classic's VRMS.
-
-Check out VorzAMP Pure, it's fantastic with low impedance phones. Actually the best amp I've tried in the portble domain. Not equally good with trickier loads like orthos and such, but not too bad either. However I prefer Rx MkIII for orthos.
It can't handle hot sources (> 1Vrms) in stock form, but you can ask Vorzüge to lower the gain if you plan on using e.g. a CLAS or such.
-
So VorzAMP is it suitable to be used as the LOD amp for iPod classic? I can't find the stats about iPod classic's VRMS.
iPods/iPhones have 1 Vrms (not sure about shuffles, but most of them =1)
Yeah, highly recommend the VorzAMP only with a iPod. However, not LOD-out. Use a 3,5 mm to 3,5 mm so you can control the volume on the iPod. I like about 70% on the iPod and 60-70% on the VorzAMP.
I reviewed the VorzAMP a couple of moths ago. Maybe you'll find some info there... http://www.headfonia.com/the-german-shapeshifter-vorzampduo/ (http://www.headfonia.com/the-german-shapeshifter-vorzampduo/)
-
I am still a fan of the Fostex HP-P1. Selectable gain, works great with my CIEM's and HD25/HD650/HD800's.
-
IF the vrms of ipod is so high that i'd have to use the headphone jack into the amp,
then it doesn't really matter if I use a sansa clip instead right?
-
HifiM8 has no line in or line out.
Don't know how more people don't notice the extra low bass bump on it, I've tried three different ones w/ different phones and it's always there. Either my ears are sensitive to it or others like it.
Maybe a C5? :-\
So what do want from a complementary amp? If you mean a contrasting signature try the Portaphile 627. Low battery life though. Cesar is great, he might let you try it out.
-
IF the vrms of ipod is so high that i'd have to use the headphone jack into the amp,
then it doesn't really matter if I use a sansa clip instead right?
I have no clue what output the Sansa Clip has...
You can use it with a LOD, however, as I said earlier... If you just want to use it with high-sensitivity low impedance cans/IEMs it's much better just asking Vorzüge to lower the gain on your amp. As simple as that... And no worries since you'll be using the more linear part of the volume potentiometer...
/V
-
So about this vrms thing, if i am using high impedance cans/iem, then it'll not be a worry if i'm directly using the lod of the ipods without lowering the gain on the vorzuge amp?
-
HifiM8 has no line in or line out.
Don't know how more people don't notice the extra low bass bump on it, I've tried three different ones w/ different phones and it's always there. Either my ears are sensitive to it or others like it.
Maybe a C5? :-\
So what do want from a complementary amp? If you mean a contrasting signature try the Portaphile 627. Low battery life though. Cesar is great, he might let you try it out.
I'll wait for the reviews. I like the form and size of the Pico Slim and the C5. The price of the C5 is very attractive. The basic CMoy BB V2.02 with 2227 I had was already pretty good i.m.o. Given the impressions I've read that the CMoy BBs have already been improved up on I'm very curious...
-
The Portaphile 627 sounds nice, and it's definitely on my list of considerations now. However reading AJ's shootout of portable amps, he scored it pretty low in background. Said hiss became very audible at higher volumes, which makes me weary of it.
I've also come across a company called Just Audio that isn't mentioned as much as some of these other guys. They have a class A portable amp called the AHA-120 which seems really interesting, and best of all can be custom ordered with 0dB gain for really sensitive IEMs.
http://justaudio.co.uk/aha-120.html
Read some reviews which say its fairly neutral in balance, high resolution, and has a very long battery life. Cons seems to be its huge size and some channel imbalance at very low volumes due to the volume pot.
-
The Lisa3 interest me... care to take a stab at the Lisa3 vs. the Mk III?
-
Okay, so I accidentally deleted Anax's last post. :spank:
Basically he said it seemed odd that AJ would rate the Portaphile low because it was his reference for a while. He said the Just Audio uHA wasn't very good (fuzzy sounding) and recommended the Lisa3 instead.
Sorry about that, Anax. :-[
When I said AJ rated the Portaphile low I specifically meant the hiss factor, which he gave a 4 out of 10. The overall score for the amp was pretty high tho.
Here's what AJ said about the uHA: "doesn't add anything to the signal path other than what it should: more power and control. The transparency is very good as the uHA disappears and isn't noticed like other amps are, but the other amps get noticed for adding dynamics and punch, or giving a brighter or warmer sound, or even adding space. "
-
No worries.
The uHA was definitely on the warm side to me. Purrin has heard it but long ago. We had the uHA-120, Stepdance 1, Leckerton UHA6 mk1, and O2 side by side. Might have been another one in there but obviously if there was, it wasn't memorable.
Lisa3 w/ the PS is pretty nice, maybe best 'portable' I've heard but it's really a desktop amp pretending to be be portable so you have a whole other set of amps to consider at that point.
-
Did you give the UHA-4 a listen?
-
Agreed , LisaIII is one class act , it is as Anax said , more transportable than portable though. I am sure a smart board designer could convert it to a 4 layered smd board but battery life would be a major problem with the current draw.
..dB
-
Did you give the UHA-4 a listen?
Yup, it's pretty good for what it is feature wise, just a step down from the UHA6. I had originally bought the 4 and 6 together to debunk the Head-fi hype at the time. They ended up converting me, particularly the 6 w/ 209s. Spent a good deal of time ABing the 4 v. 6 using the same opamps. Just a cleaner more resolving amp on the 6. I ended up selling my DACPort which was my portable reference back then.
-
I had the AHA120 (unit number 10 I think), it is good but there is a roll-off in the highs. Makes the treble peaks of the K70X disappear for example, not a problem for everyone I reckon. However, I wouldn't put it in the portable amp category, given the size.
That said, it's built like a tank, has a great battery, and is transparent. On top of that, Justin is a nice guy to deal with, and is knowledgeable too.
MP, make sure you don't confuse the AHA120 and the µHA120. The latter is smaller, but not as good as its big brother from what I heard (Class A vs Class AB).
-
ahoy
I was under the impression that the O2 was really great bang for the buck (its about 150euro's here). So I ordered one from the UK (build time is +-3 weeks), hoping to use it as a transportable rig with my HD650. Now I'v read from multiple people that the O2 is not that good with the HD650 :-\.
I can still cancel my order if I am in time, but ofcourse that leads to the follow-up question:
What is a better portable amp for the HD650's for +-150euro's?
I do not need a DAC, I just need an amp. It may be battery powered, but it is not necessary. Its primary use is for the HD650, classical music, but some pop/rock also.
Any help is greatly appreciated!!
-Victor :)p1
-
ahoy
I was under the impression that the O2 was really great bang for the buck (its about 150euro's here). So I ordered one from the UK (build time is +-3 weeks), hoping to use it as a transportable rig with my HD650. Now I'v read from multiple people that the O2 is not that good with the HD650 :-\.
I can still cancel my order if I am in time, but ofcourse that leads to the follow-up question:
What is a better portable amp for the HD650's for +-150euro's?
I do not need a DAC, I just need an amp. It may be battery powered, but it is not necessary. Its primary use is for the HD650, classical music, but some pop/rock also.
Any help is greatly appreciated!!
-Victor :)p1
I haven't heard any negative things about the O2 + HD650's synergy specifically. If I had to guess, I'd think the combo was decent enough since the O2's harshness would sort of balance out any perceived veil on the 650s.
In general the O2 is a good amp for what it is. It was designed to be linear and powerful, and in that sense it succeeds. However it's rather unrefined---particularly in the treble---and sounds pretty two-dimensional. It's also not the last word (even in its respective price range) on low level detail despite people trying to argue that the THD measurements show it is.
Really, it just depends on your priorities and what you want. At the price range you've indicated I think the O2 is pretty competitive. There's the upcoming C5 from nwavdeuche JDS Labs. Personally, I'd recommend the Leckerton UHA-6S:
http://www.leckertonaudio.com/products/uha-6s-mkii/
It has a DAC built in, but you can bypass it. At that price it's still a bargain for the amp itself IMHO. You can also roll opamps if you want to tweak the sound a bit. It'll be more portable than the O2 as well.
If you don't have to have a battery, you may want to consider the Schiit Magni.
-
Hi Muppetface,
Thanks for the recommendation, I have been looking into the Leckerton (also read Purrin's O2 vs Leckerton description). The leckerton is about 275euro vs the O2's 150euro. Since I'm not going to use the DAC at all, is the amp section worth the price difference? I know this is a tough question (what is it worth to someone), but is the difference in audio significant? Its almost double the price :).
Kind regards,
Victor
update: I just found out that you can use the iPhone 5 and any iPad with a USB connection kit, and connect it directly to the Leckerton (thus using its DAC!). That makes it absolutely perfect for me!
-
Hmm, it seems the iPad works great with the CCK, and can indeed stream its data via USB to an outboard DAC. The iPhone's however cannot (some say the iPhone 4 + jailbreak can).
What do you guys use as a portable player? Any portable player's out there which you can connect using a USB connection to a DAC?
-
Any portable player's out there which you can connect using a USB connection to a DAC?
Samsung Galaxy S3 and Note 2
-
Makes me want to listen to my stuff, which I still haven't touched since October last year...
-
Added Sensaphonics dB Check:
http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,904.msg22351.html#msg22351 (http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,904.msg22351.html#msg22351)
-
I've swapped the opamp in Leckerton to ADA4898-1, the successor of AD797. It's a great success, noticeably better than OPA209 that was in before - and most importantly, immune to GSM noise.
Available from most Element 14 stores, like Newark (only dual ADA4898-2 right now, will need a different adaptor) and Farnell for cheaps - $6 or so. Half as much as AD797ANZ or AD797ARZ.
The sound is as spacious as OPA209, if not slightly more so. Definitely not like the mid-biased AD8610, maybe close to AD797, but I haven't heard that in the UHA-6. Excellent microdetailing, slightly but noticeably better than OPA209. Blacker background. Balance is almost the same. Definitely sounds like BJT opamp, which it is.
I can definitely say "wow". UHA-6s mkII was already excellent, now it's better still.
Lower noise floor in high gain modes. Better 2nd and 3rd order harmonics by ~2 dB. (others aren't measurable by my old 107 dB SNR analyzer) Better crosstalk performance at all frequencies, by 5 dB at low end to 13 dB at 20k. Frequency response is more linear, with less highest end roll by 0.5 dB - not that it should matter. Likely due to slightly lower output impedance of the opamp and/or higher current capability.
I can't even utilize it to the fullest potential. I couldn't attach the pad below it that's supposed to be connected to Vss- (generic DIP adaptor doesn't have a pad) and the amp supplies only 6.3 V, which is low for this opamp (rated 5 to 16V). It also has a power down pin, which is not used by the amp - and could save battery when there's no input.
For the curious: http://www.analog.com/en/all-operational-amplifiers-op-amps/operational-amplifiers-op-amps/ada4898-1/products/product.html
I've also learned that one of my probes (for the scope) has almost 2.5 uF capacitance - which drove the amp unstable in low gain mode at around half volume - until I've swapped the probe to something reasonable with 30 nF - which is still huge, way more than any IEM or headphone should be bar silly crossovers or filters. Not even SE-5 has such capacitance.
This could be fully averted if there was a tiny (2-3 pF) capacitor in parallel with the opamp's feedback loop, but Leckerton UHA-6S mkII doesn't have one and I didn't have time to make a custom DIP adaptor, used a standard one.
-
Well, I've embellished the GSM resistance a bit - it is way more resistant, but not immune. Especially more resistant (and better sounding too in comparison to OPA209) in the high gain mode.
-
even if I know this is pretty inconvenient, but:
I am considering getting an amp and DAC of small size that would work with an iPad (Lightning connector) on the go, as well as with a computer, to replace my desktop setup (for now!).
it would be used to drive a pair of IEM's (Fitear ToGo! 334 I have in sight right now) and Audeze LCD2 when at home. as well as a pair of active speakers, Emotiva Airmotiv 4
something that takes little space on a desk and in a bag. I, as most people, prefer a bit smoother top end sound but do value detail level quite a bit. just not harsh. :P
mostly checking the waters here, since a friend is very interested in my desktop amp and DAC... not sure what price I am looking at here. cheaper is better, really.
-
http://www.leckertonaudio.com/products/uha-6s-mkii/ (http://www.leckertonaudio.com/products/uha-6s-mkii/)
-
I see the Leckerton has 4 opamp choices. Any idea what the differences are?
-
Anax, which opamps in the Leckerton for the UERM?
Thanks in advance...oh, and can I go slim (amp only) UH-4 or only the latest 6S MKII for best sound?
-
I still prefer the 209 for transparency w/ the UERM. I'm going to try the 4898 and report back so maybe wait a bit or just pick up the opamp later if it works?
The UHA4 is a clear step down from the UHA6 unless you use lower end phones. This isn't you so...
-
^Excellent, thanks! Gonna hang with Q-Hate next week and will have a chance to listen to the Leckerton...
-
http://www.leckertonaudio.com/products/uha-6s-mkii/ (http://www.leckertonaudio.com/products/uha-6s-mkii/)
yeah this was what I've gathered to be the best, but only on the amp-side from what I could read.
which is what this thread is about so all is good there, but can't really put my finger on how the DAC sounds.
would it be a sideways step from an ODAC or an upgrade, in your opinion? going by detail level and the glare-free-ness.
and is it confirmed to work with the Lightning connector though? I only heard reports about the 30pin.
thanks - definitely top of my list of candidates. :)
-
DAC is worse than the ODAC. It works w/ the lightning adapter on an iPad.
-
DAC is worse than the ODAC. It works w/ the lightning adapter on an iPad.
well that's a good short answer, didn't quite expect it to be better though it still seems nice. at least better than what's in my iPad (latest generation) right? I find it to not sound that great, but if there aren't any actually worthwhile better options out there in the portable section... would an amp only be a better solution?
just found your comparison Apex Glacier vs Leckerton, convincing enough!
is channel imbalance with the pot anything to worry about when using efficient IEM's?
-
Not on low gain w/ the integrated DAC. High gain, maybe, depending. The ODAC runs louder than the UHA6S Cirrus chip so channel imbalance could be more of an issue if you listen low using a hotter source. After getting my UHA6S back, I have to say the pot is still quite stiff, so I don't agree w/ that assessment of it being easy to accidentally tweak. The mk1 did go soft, the mk2 is still fine.
The only better stand alone amps for transparency I've found cost twice as much and might even be twice as big or worse in some cases.
We tends to give the DAC a bad rap on the Leck but it's pretty decent and better than most idevices or laptops, it's just a relative comparison to it's own amp.
Believe me, I've been looking for a proper DAC/Amp replacement to compete better w/ my headphone rig but it's going to $500-$1000 and and even larger brick setup w/ quirks. Be very mindful of what is important to you feature wise and how you will be using it. You could end up wanting more and be willing to pay more or feeling it's not worth it the hassle and wanting to go light.
What IEM are you using?
-
@munch
Regarding channel imbalance with IEMs, if you're using ONLY IEM's with your Leckerton, you can get Nick to lower the gain for free. He lowers the gain by about 12dB.
I only use mine with IEM's, so the decision was a no-brainer. If you're going to be driving full-sized 'phones as well, then probably best to keep it stock. I've noticed at meets that I listen at lower volume in general than most people though.
-
@Analixus: right, the integrated DAC was what I was thinking of - my idea was to replace the ODAC with this if it was somewhat comparable.
I don't think the pot would be much of a problem, especially after reading a thread on here about it. forgot where now though...
yeah, I'd like to avoid the big bricks :P and I was hoping to not spend more than $500 even if a good desktop setup is more than that... shouldn't expect a lot from a portable one.
feature-wise... I'd just like a nice all in one device with lo/hi-gain (if even needed) for IEM/headphone use. good DAC and a good amp, obviously.
the Headamp Pico is not going to be competing with the Leckerton, btw? I really like what I heard from Headamp earlier but one good design doesn't mean all is good though.
the IEM I am looking at is FitEar ToGo! 334 - but currently I am using a Westone UM2. probably quite different beasts power-wise?
@Questhate: right. my plan was both so stock sounds fine... I'll see what I can find about channel balance and such with IEM's I want to use.
thanks a lot, you two!
-
I have not compared the Pico DAC/AMP to the Leckerton, so I can't say how it competes directly, but it certainly is a good product on it's own. It's not the new kid on the block anymore but I still highly recommend it, FWIW, as do many others.
It measures and sounds good. It's great with efficient IEMs and is still able to drive all but the really power hungry full size headphones. The build quality is just stunning. The size is not super small like the Slim, but it's a lot smaller in person than you might think it is from photos.
It will work fine from an iDevice 30-pin or lightening connector.
Some love the HeadAmp portable sound, others not so much, so get a listen first if you can. I don't think it would let anyone down much as a pretty versatile portable in a decent sized package.
-
Now I understand why people recommend the Leckerton. Very nice build quality, very satisfying amp. (I am using OPA209). Couldn't be happier.
-
cool. I have a friend who has it so I'll try to meet up with him to have a listen! didn't know he had one so... ta-taa!
Leckerton and Pico are roughly the same size though, right? I should just look it up... :P
it'd be in my bag and on a desk most of the time so size is not reaally the biggest issue. just thickness maybe. weight is whatever.
I'll listen to it and see if I can find the UHA-6s MKII to listen to, as well.
is there any way you can describe the sound? sounds like you're saying it's a bit coloured?
any idea which DAC in theory should be better?
thanks!
-
What kind of battery life is everyone getting with the UHA6 MK II?
-
I don't know about other peeps but I get quite a bit. Not sure exactly but I turn it on beginning of the day to run in some new phones and it's still going at the end of the day on high gain. I've never timed it, but I'm kind of surprised when I find out it still has a charge sometimes. Personally I'm not a battery runtime fanatic, I could get along w/ 4-5 hours for the sake of SQ.
-
My HP-P1 gets about 7 hours. That has always bee plenty. I do have several flights per year and I like knowing I have plenty of battery for cross country travel.
-
I find the Leckteron 6 mark I much better than the IBasso D10, for all their being in about the same ball park.Have others found this to be true as well?
-
Not as if UHA-6S mkII needs any lower gain. It's within center 33-66% with all IEMs I have - there's no appreciable channel imbalance. That's with or without eq (around -9 dBFS "average"). Of course with the low gain. You'd need a way hotter source than its DAC or analog output of most phones, MP3 players etc. to have to tweak the knob down a lot.
I'm not sure why my pot seems too easy to tweak accidentally. It can be turned with a single finger - so pocket friction tends to do that sometimes when it's in pants or jacket.
The DAC isn't much worse than ODAC actually - it's mostly hampered by the USB interface chip. It is very slightly worse if at all (I'd need an actual double blind test), definitely better than, say, FiiO E17 or Prodigy Cube - both based on Wolfson DAC chips. Not that ODAC with any reasonable amp would be pocketable... (You'd need to rework power supply too!)
I measured that with the ADA4898s, it loses ~20% battery life - making it still huge, way larger than FiiO E17. I'd estimate that OPA627 and AD797 it'd lose about the same amount. That's a 2x difference in opamp idle current at work. (~8mA vs ~16mA for a pair)
Takes more than a day to get discharged, unless you use SPDIF on battery, in which case it takes about 8h - both coax and optical. USB is on par with analog, bit shorter maybe.
-
Not as if UHA-6S mkII needs any lower gain. It's within center 33-66% with all IEMs I have - there's no appreciable channel imbalance. That's with or without eq (around -9 dBFS "average"). Of course with the low gain. You'd need a way hotter source than its DAC or analog output of most phones, MP3 players etc. to have to tweak the knob down a lot.
I'm not sure why my pot seems too easy to tweak accidentally. It can be turned with a single finger - so pocket friction tends to do that sometimes when it's in pants or jacket.
The DAC isn't much worse than ODAC actually - it's mostly hampered by the USB interface chip. It is very slightly worse if at all (I'd need an actual double blind test), definitely better than, say, FiiO E17 or Prodigy Cube - both based on Wolfson DAC chips. Not that ODAC with any reasonable amp would be pocketable... (You'd need to rework power supply too!)
I measured that with the ADA4898s, it loses ~20% battery life - making it still huge, way larger than FiiO E17. I'd estimate that OPA627 and AD797 it'd lose about the same amount. That's a 2x difference in opamp idle current at work. (~8mA vs ~16mA for a pair)
Takes more than a day to get discharged, unless you use SPDIF on battery, in which case it takes about 8h - both coax and optical. USB is on par with analog, bit shorter maybe.
about the DAC not being worse than ODAC, but USB chip etc... isn't that technically part of the D/A-Conversion process? :P or maybe you were thinking for SPDIF...
I will be using it strictly with USB in a powered hub, but if you find the sound to be almost as good as the ODAC with USB then that would be very promising. you have both to compare?
battery life sounds great - not sure what opamp to go with at all yet though.
thanks!
-
Just curious, does anyone know what the most powerful/best candidate for a portable amp to power a HE-6 on the go? I've owned it a couple of times now, and always end up underwhelmed by the performance on portable amps. For home listening I've driven it previously with the monster known as the Pioneer Reference Power Amplifier, which it sounds heavenly with - I just like having the option of taking my gear with me....
I know the HE-6 seems like a very silly choice keeping that in mind, but i just love the sound of it.... p:/ so what can you do...
-
The Trends Audio Special Edition Class T amp is a TINY 10 Watt amp but it is transportable...just had to call it out again because it is really cool and only $235.
jazzfan on HF has one that I have heard multiple times. I know that is not on the go...
-
Just curious, does anyone know what the most powerful/best candidate for a portable amp to power a HE-6 on the go? I've owned it a couple of times now, and always end up underwhelmed by the performance on portable amps. For home listening I've driven it previously with the monster known as the Pioneer Reference Power Amplifier, which it sounds heavenly with - I just like having the option of taking my gear with me....
I know the HE-6 seems like a very silly choice keeping that in mind, but i just love the sound of it.... so what can you do...
The Pico Power did an okay job with it and seemed to have enough gain without distorting, but I haven't really heard the HE-6 on other portable amps.
-
Just curious, does anyone know what the most powerful/best candidate for a portable amp to power a HE-6 on the go? I've owned it a couple of times now, and always end up underwhelmed by the performance on portable amps. For home listening I've driven it previously with the monster known as the Pioneer Reference Power Amplifier, which it sounds heavenly with - I just like having the option of taking my gear with me....
I know the HE-6 seems like a very silly choice keeping that in mind, but i just love the sound of it.... so what can you do...
The Pico Power did an okay job with it and seemed to have enough gain without distorting, but I haven't really heard the HE-6 on other portable amps.
Hmm, interesting. I've used it with my ALO Rx Mk3b before, and it does a good job of driving it, but as one might expect it does lack some bottom end and a bit of detail when underpowered - even if not severely.
Wether the tuning or power output of the Pico Power is better suited I don't know, but will definitely give it a go if I get the chance :)
-
sort of random question but what's the best portable DAC out there that works with an iPad and a PC/Mac?
I'm a bit sad by having to downgrade from ODAC, if I go with the Leckerton route. but it just seems like a solid deal.
I'm skipping the earlier suggested FitEar 334, as I missed out on demoing them. but will likely get the hifiman RE-600, and a pair of gaming friendly headphones (ATH-AD900X) for home use.
OR maybe I'll try to make a battery pack for the ODAC as it's so tiny and cute, and get a separate amplifier.
which then would lead to... what to get? I really like the form factor and physical design (vol control is great) of the C5 but I didn't really get a sense of the sound quality...
always thought I'd never get a portable stack as they seem kind of dumb, but I figure this might be my most used setup so why not look into what's available!
all roads still lead to Leckerton? it would be quite noticeable from the iPad I am sure, but it'd be my only DAC until I decide whether to get STAX or not later on. :P
the CLAS just seems a bit expensive, I heard one and it's great but not 700 or however much it is great. fostex HP-P1 seems OK but not great either? is it even better than the Leckerton?
thanks again, and sorry for indecision.
-
sort of random question but what's the best portable DAC out there that works with an iPad and a PC/Mac?
I'm a bit sad by having to downgrade from ODAC, if I go with the Leckerton route. but it just seems like a solid deal.
I'm skipping the earlier suggested FitEar 334, as I missed out on demoing them. but will likely get the hifiman RE-600, and a pair of gaming friendly headphones (ATH-AD900X) for home use.
OR maybe I'll try to make a battery pack for the ODAC as it's so tiny and cute, and get a separate amplifier.
which then would lead to... what to get? I really like the form factor and physical design (vol control is great) of the C5 but I didn't really get a sense of the sound quality...
always thought I'd never get a portable stack as they seem kind of dumb, but I figure this might be my most used setup so why not look into what's available!
all roads still lead to Leckerton? it would be quite noticeable from the iPad I am sure, but it'd be my only DAC until I decide whether to get STAX or not later on. :P
the CLAS just seems a bit expensive, I heard one and it's great but not 700 or however much it is great. fostex HP-P1 seems OK but not great either? is it even better than the Leckerton?
thanks again, and sorry for indecision.
If you just need the DAC does the DACport LX work with the iPad and a CCK?
-
If you just need the DAC does the DACport LX work with the iPad and a CCK?
I am being told No by a quick google search, so I would assume not. the non-LX version I know for sure doesn't.
but would be nice if anyone could confirm.
thanks, it does seem very nice.
-
If you just need the DAC does the DACport LX work with the iPad and a CCK?
I am being told No by a quick google search, so I would assume not. the non-LX version I know for sure doesn't.
but would be nice if anyone could confirm.
thanks, it does seem very nice.
From HF http://www.head-fi.org/t/473473/review-more-to-come-centrance-dacport-24-96-usb-dac-amp/255#post_8519986 (http://www.head-fi.org/t/473473/review-more-to-come-centrance-dacport-24-96-usb-dac-amp/255#post_8519986) Ruins the portability.
"With iPad yes, but you will need to feed the USB (using a hub) with external power. You will also need the camera kit.
I have the LX and if I connect it directly it states that is using too much power :("
-
Are there any new portables that can battle with the Pico Slim for pure IEM use? (UERM, JH13, SE530)
I normally use a normal Pico Amp/DAC, but for late night listening it is too loud when the channels balance out and the iPod 5.5 has too much noise and not enough resolution.
-
Apex Glacier perhaps. Leckerton is working on a higher end amp w/ digital control like the UHA4. I'd probably go w/ the 4 for price. Never cared for the Pico Slim myself apart from size.
-
Arrow 4G is damn small and pretty good value for money. I love it because of the 80 hour battery life.
-
Analixus - the Glacier has been on my radar, but just a little weary of its performance with only sensitive IEM's. I like the amp/dac combo with digital volume control. The Arrow has been on my radar for a while too, but I've read that you need to contact him for have it modified for sensitive IEM use. If the Pico Slim had a couple tweaks and an integrated usb dac, it would be a no brainer choice.
-
I love the Arrow for packaging, but if you worry about channel imbalance at really low levels, that's going to be a problem w/ that pot.
Slim has finish and pot performance nailed. Many people like it's sound. I'm just more sensitive to it's bass that annoys me, some others have reported it as well. We are more in the minority so you will likely be fine.
-
Apex Glacier perhaps. Leckerton is working on a higher end amp w/ digital control like the UHA4. I'd probably go w/ the 4 for price. Never cared for the Pico Slim myself apart from size.
do you know if this is just an amp or DAC as well? as the UHA-4 is DAC too?
not sure if the DAC would be upgraded though, but this sounds promising.
-
If you mean Leckerton, I believe Nick is only making integrated DAC/Amps. I hear he is improving the DAC section as well, maybe XMOS. I worry the receiver chip will end USB on the go support. So far, everything XMOS requires drivers which means the end of phone use unless it's an Apple.
-
If you mean Leckerton, I believe Nick is only making integrated DAC/Amps. I hear he is improving the DAC section as well, maybe XMOS. I worry the receiver chip will end USB on the go support. So far, everything XMOS requires drivers which means the end of phone use unless it's an Apple.
I honestly don't know what XMOS does but that doesn't sound very great for me. I do use an apple phone, but I'm hoping to use it with my iPad rather than iPhone. or perhaps both... :p
any idea if that would work, assuming the power draw is less than 20mA from the DAC? (CCK specification limit)
thanks!
-
XMOS works fine w/ idevices for the most part, driverless. Shouldn't be a problem.
-
XMOS works fine w/ idevices for the most part, driverless. Shouldn't be a problem.
sounds good, a bit excited about this one now. any idea when the release date would be?
thanks!
hmm looked up a bit more information about XMOS... this will likely not be a low cost DAC/amp solution? (relatively speaking of course. the UHA-6s is fairly low cost)
-
I contacted nick from Leckerton and this is what he had to say about the new amp:
"Yes, I do have an amp planned for release later this year. It will have an upsampling DAC, digital volume control, and crossfeed. " -Nick
I wanted to pick up the UHA-6S for my UERMs... but now I think I'll wait for the new amp. :boom:
-
that's great, thanks for sharing!
let's just hope it won't be too costly.
-
For those of you using a Nokia N8 > Leckerton UHA6S via USB on the Go w/ pretty capable IEMs. Next time you start an extended listening session, get it fully charged, activate power saving and turn off all mobile data. Then have a listen.
I should have some opamp updates within the week. We can now move beyond the performance envelope of the 209, 8610 and 627.
-
Any thoughts out there on the newfangled M8?
-
Any thoughts out there on the newfangled M8?
Yes. I got my deposit back.
-
Any thoughts out there on the newfangled M8?
You pay a lot for bells and whistles you may never use.
Sounds pretty good, but not good enough to woo me away from my HP-P1.
-
I still love the HP-P1...Sometimes a manufacturer gets it right.... :)p1
-
Any thoughts out there on the newfangled M8?
Yes. I got my deposit back.
That bad? Or just meh?
-
Put it this way, the thing is balanced so the idea of properly driving the HD800 seemed logical to me. Like the DACPort and most of the CENtrance stuff w/ amps, it's really lean and bright. Michale thinks his stuff is transparent and the HD800 is the problem. His critieria for the quality of the hifiM8 was that it gets really loud driving two headphones at once. I like the DACPort LX as a DAC, but IMHO CENtrance is really a bit clueless about amping apart with the usual rudimentary measures for power, noise and distortion.
Amps that can drive the HD800 better than anything from CENtrance: Beta22, GS-1, GS-X, Dynahi, BHA-1, O2, WA6, WA5, Luxman P1u, CA EHHA/LF/LG/LAu, all Eddie Current gear, all Schiit gear, Bottlehead Crack, Decware. Malvalve, Bakoon, Lynx, ALO RX3b, Leckerton, others. That's a very large list of better sounding amps to choose from. I didn't need a portable balanced headphone amp that sucked at driving my balanced headphones.
Listening to a HD800 from a CENtrance product is like a slightly more refined Fiio. I wish Michael would stop believing his sound is 'transparent' so he could work on improving it. Do you really want to pay that much for just meh or bad sound? I have tone controls on my Arrow 4G already. I will say I thought the treble tone shaping was well done last I heard it. DAC doesn't work w/ USB on the Go anyway.
-
Hmm, good to know. I'm not part of the preorder, but I've been following the blog thread. I like their integration of feedback in the development process, though I think it does get silly at times how much they bend over to accommodate every little request (which has delayed them and perhaps weakened the final product).
-
Okay- sold/shipped the Pico Power. Hafta say that it did get better with a bit of run-in and the High Gain had just a touch of hiss but was clean, resolving, good width/separation. Extra bass. I still like the mini^3 musical/warmer presentation. Would like to try a Leckerton someday.
Spending some time with the CLAS/MkII combo thanks to ship! :)p6
-
Any thoughts out there on the newfangled M8?
Just another data point: No.
-
Posted opamp impressions using the Leckerton UHA6S mk2 here: http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,938.msg27283.html#msg27283
-
Pico Power impressions: http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,1046.msg27286.html#msg27286
-
Anax/purrin/etc...
Have you heard the Meier Audio QUICKSTEP/2STEPDANCE? If so.. what are your thoughts on it?
I had the UHA-6S MKII (with the 209 opamp) for a long time.. I was quite happy with it (especially loved the detail retrieval and clarity).. but, eventually, sold it for the very reasons you stated about the 209's shortcomings (in the opamp thread).. namely, the "thin, brittle" nature and slightly lack of dynamics (for my personal taste). I didn't want to mess with opamp rolling and go with a 'warmer' chip (i.e. 627) since it would most likely mean giving up the things I liked most about the 209 (resolution and neutrality).
Enter the QUICKSTEP. I've had the it for a few months and have been really quite happy with it. Interestingly enough, it sports (five) 209 chips (due to the discrete design).. but sounds (compared to the 209) warmer, fleshed out, and boasting a larger soundstage. As the age old adage goes: "implementation is everything."
Anyways.. the QS has been nice.. but I got the itch to try the UHA again.. so I ordered it from Nick a couple of days ago (with the ADA4627 chips, this time.. thanks to your hearty impressions on them).
-
^ You can order Leckerton with two versions of ADA4627. I describe the options in Reply #22 on this page. (http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,938.msg28839.html#msg28839/)
-
I had only heard the original Stepdance, it was a bit too far on the analytical timbre side for me w/o the benefit of added resolution. Haven't heard the step2 or quikstep.
Keep us posted on your impressions!
-
sry 2 be naggin' but is there anything new on the iDevice compatible portable DAC-amp front? whether it be with the camera connection kit or straight out of the lightning connector. also to use with laptop if possible.
leckerton still seems like the best option to me, but I'd hate to get one if there is something new out - it doesn't seem to be the most popular thing to talk about on the audio forums I know of.
-
sry 2 be naggin' but is there anything new on the iDevice compatible portable DAC-amp front? whether it be with the camera connection kit or straight out of the lightning connector. also to use with laptop if possible.
leckerton still seems like the best option to me, but I'd hate to get one if there is something new out - it doesn't seem to be the most popular thing to talk about on the audio forums I know of.
AFAIK, in the US you're limited to four options: Fostex HP-P1, Sony PHA-1, Centrance HiFi-M8, and the V-Moda Vamp Verza that Tyll reviewed last week. The Venturecraft stuff is readily available in Japan, but in the USA, not so much. There may be stuff available in other markets that I don't know about. The issue appears to still be the Apple certification/licensing process.
-
sry 2 be naggin' but is there anything new on the iDevice compatible portable DAC-amp front? whether it be with the camera connection kit or straight out of the lightning connector. also to use with laptop if possible.
leckerton still seems like the best option to me, but I'd hate to get one if there is something new out - it doesn't seem to be the most popular thing to talk about on the audio forums I know of.
AFAIK, in the US you're limited to four options: Fostex HP-P1, Sony PHA-1, Centrance HiFi-M8, and the V-Moda Vamp Verza that Tyll reviewed last week. The Venturecraft stuff is readily available in Japan, but in the USA, not so much. There may be stuff available in other markets that I don't know about. The issue appears to still be the Apple certification/licensing process.
right - this I sort of was aware of. heard good things about the Fostex but not so much of the rest... hmm!
but there are ones that work with the Camera Connection Kit like the Leckerton... no new ones in this category?
thanks
-
sry 2 be naggin' but is there anything new on the iDevice compatible portable DAC-amp front? whether it be with the camera connection kit or straight out of the lightning connector. also to use with laptop if possible.
leckerton still seems like the best option to me, but I'd hate to get one if there is something new out - it doesn't seem to be the most popular thing to talk about on the audio forums I know of.
AFAIK, in the US you're limited to four options: Fostex HP-P1, Sony PHA-1, Centrance HiFi-M8, and the V-Moda Vamp Verza that Tyll reviewed last week. The Venturecraft stuff is readily available in Japan, but in the USA, not so much. There may be stuff available in other markets that I don't know about. The issue appears to still be the Apple certification/licensing process.
right - this I sort of was aware of. heard good things about the Fostex but not so much of the rest... hmm!
but there are ones that work with the Camera Connection Kit like the Leckerton... no new ones in this category?
thanks
Not that I'm aware of, but I'm not working very hard on staying on top of developments in that market segment. I'm happy with my iPod Touch/Fostex rig.
-
The HP-P1 Fostex is a great sounding piece of gear. Highly recommended.
-
I have a Leckerton shipping to me tomorrow...can anyone recommend a good little cable to use with the Camera Connection Kit?
Sorry, I wasn't perfectly happy with the Fostex HP-P1 mids. Beautiful build and unit though!
-
Ipad w/ kit has worked w/ Leckerton.
-
I have a Leckerton shipping to me tomorrow...can anyone recommend a good little cable to use with the Camera Connection Kit?
Sorry, I wasn't perfectly happy with the Fostex HP-P1 mids. Beautiful build and unit though!
hi - care to elaborate on the mids? that is like my focus when choosing gear.
actually, would you mind doing a comparison between the Leckerton and the Fostex when you have it? from memory might be enough?
really wish there was more info about the maybe new Leckerton product. xmos and all that sounds too good to be true...
-
The only bit of info i have about upcoming new combo unit from Leckerton:
Hello,
I do have a new upsampling DAC/amp in the works. It will have USB
only, although I do plan some following models which also include
optical and coaxial inputs. With the digital volume control, there
will be no need to modify the gain of the amp for high-sensitivity
IEMs. Unfortunately I can't give any more details about the release
date, but as soon as they are available, I'll be posting that
information on the website.
Regards,
Nick
Leckerton Audio, Inc.
Soon™.
-
The only bit of info i have about upcoming new combo unit from Leckerton:
Hello,
I do have a new upsampling DAC/amp in the works. It will have USB
only, although I do plan some following models which also include
optical and coaxial inputs. With the digital volume control, there
will be no need to modify the gain of the amp for high-sensitivity
IEMs. Unfortunately I can't give any more details about the release
date, but as soon as they are available, I'll be posting that
information on the website.
Regards,
Nick
Leckerton Audio, Inc.
Soon™.
gosh darn, this is such a tease!
Soon is probably around christmas in this case. CAN I WAIT? probably not! will I try? no idea...
is the FiiO X3 worth looking at? a music only thing wouldn't be too dumb to have maybe, it's the size of any of these amp/dac combos...
that could be posted in a different thread though, oh well.
I will probably wait for the Leckerton, it seems like all the other stuff is highly regarded.
thanks!
-
hi - care to elaborate on the mids? that is like my focus when choosing gear.
actually, would you mind doing a comparison between the Leckerton and the Fostex when you have it? from memory might be enough?
really wish there was more info about the maybe new Leckerton product. xmos and all that sounds too good to be true...
At the time, I was with Mkubota1 and trying several portables against each other...thought the Fostex was a little further back in the mids so I ruled it out. If I can get back together with Mkubota1 after I get the Leckerton, I will try it again to see if my impressions were good. I still need to pick up an EQ from him... I'm just one data point and probably like warmer mids from my portables due to UERM? (See if anyone else thinks the mids were a touch scooped.)
-
I have a Leckerton shipping to me tomorrow...can anyone recommend a good little cable to use with the Camera Connection Kit?
Sorry, I wasn't perfectly happy with the Fostex HP-P1 mids. Beautiful build and unit though!
Interesting. I am very happy with the mids on the HP-P1....This hobby fascinates me. We are all different in how we hear things.
-
^True, it may be that because I have the UERM- the Fostex might be neutral and I prefer the extra warmth that the mini^3 gives. In comparison the mids might have seemed a little farther back.
-
X3 is kinda neat and cheap, definitely a step down though. I'm still waiting for Fiio to make something that can play w/ the big boys sonically but their business model just isn't concerned w/ competing w/ anything at that price point.
-
right. I expected it to be just as good as some DAC/amp options more expensive, not sure why... :P
if the Mini^3 is your comparison, I can understand why then! I do not actually care much for that one.
soo... HP-P1 vs UHA-6s MKII (vs CLAS+whatever amp you heard it with)? anyone who has either and don't mind describing?
I kind of like the CLAS when I heard it, was together with my AMB M^3 so maybe not the best combination as it was with HD800's and all that... still thought it sounded good compared to straight out of an iPod Touch.
but it is a bit expensive for the Computer Audio USB version.
I have seen the HP-P1 go for affordable prices used. it works with the Lightning Connector right?
and it should be better than the X3 even though it uses that dumb apple decryption mahadada?
I prefer my mids to be neutral and maybe forward if one can even have that? but them being scooped out sounds pretty bad.
-
I have seen the HP-P1 go for affordable prices used. it works with the Lightning Connector right?
and it should be better than the X3 even though it uses that dumb apple decryption mahadada?
Yes, it works with Lightning as well as 30-pin. Amazon has a decent 5" Lightning-to-USB A cable for less than $10, that I use with my iPod Touch and HP-P1.
-
Okay, I'll have to listen to the Fostex again later and I'll compare it to the Leckerton which is more of a reference around here than the mini^3. :'(
-
Okay, I'll have to listen to the Fostex again later and I'll compare it to the Leckerton which is more of a reference around here than the mini^3. :'(
I am running JH16 FP's not UERM's with the HP-P1. I am sure that will make a difference.
-
I use the rather mid-forward HiFiMAN RE-600, if that makes any difference... they're already quite nice and 'warm' in the midrange to me, using the latest iPad. not overly so. I feel they could be a little bit clearer perhaps, and IME a nice DAC + decent amp would help with that... I don't know how much these IEM's alter with that, so if anyone has a clue plz hepls!
HP-P1 looks nice and sleek and does work with a computer, right?
thanks!
-
How does the UHA-4 compare to the UHA-6S.MKII?
-
How does the UHA-4 compare to the UHA-6S.MKII?
Less transparent and dynamic than the 6. 4 is in the ballpark of the Arrow and similar quality amps though, many prefer it. It's no 6 though if you want the best amp out there. Trust me, I had both and wasn't planning on keeping either, let alone the more expensive one. If the 4 was as audibly capable as the 6 I would have kept it and sent back the 6. But if you are predisposed to believe they should sound the same, then get the 4 or maybe nothing.
-
[size=78%]Less transparent and dynamic than the 6. 4 is in the ballpark of the Arrow and similar quality amps though, many prefer it. It's no 6 though if you want the best amp out there. Trust me, I had both and wasn't planning on keeping either, let alone the more expensive one. If the 4 was as audibly capable as the 6 I would have kept it and sent back the 6. But if you are predisposed to believe they should sound the same, then get the 4 or maybe nothing.[/size]
Thanks! I have a Headroom MicroAmp, but it's not very portable and am thinking of selling it.
-T
-
Headroom Micro is pretty bad - talking about detail extraction on TWFK based on a short listen. As in some cheaper FiiO are better. (E7/E7k and E10. E17 not really, it's a broken design.)
I had E7 and E10 on hand for that test.
Not to mention it's not pocketable and more luggable than portable.
Only thing it has going for it is output power, which is good for a portable amp.
-
Okay, got the Leckerton in last night and I'm glad I had the UE custom demos to play with.
The mini^3 warms up the UERM/UE4 and makes them punchy with a bigger sound.
The Leckerton with ADA 4627 is more neutral and tighter, better for controlling the UE11.
I think the Leckerton is definitely a nice little unit. Built really well, looks better in person.
EDIT:
The UE11 can be muddy on the mini^3 and are still bassy on the Leckerton but much better. They sound best out of my co-worker's Galaxy S3 with Flat EQ!
The UERM are actually nice on the Leckerton, I had the EQ going with addt'l treble :-00 and that's why I didn't like them last night!
Source can really be heard with Leckerton in these combos.
-
Okay, got the Leckerton in last night and I'm glad I had the UE custom demos to play with.
...
The Leckerton with ADA 4627 is more neutral and tighter, better for controlling the UE11.
I think the Leckerton is definitely a nice little unit. Built really well, looks better in person.
UERM/UE4 can seem a bit thin with bright tonality on the Leckerton, with the UE11 muddy on the mini^3.
Source can really be heard with Leckerton in these combos.
I've got a UERM demo right now.. and I absolutely LOVE it. I find it very complimentary to the JH13Pro FP. Been using the UERM demo with the UHA-6S MKII's (built-in) DAC & amp (AD4627 opamp), and I agree.. this little rig sounds wonderful. As you stated, it's very transparent and neutral.
CEE.. I might be PM'ing you about getting a UERM.. sooner than later.
:)
-
Okay, got the Leckerton in last night and I'm glad I had the UE custom demos to play with.
...
The Leckerton with ADA 4627 is more neutral and tighter, better for controlling the UE11.
I think the Leckerton is definitely a nice little unit. Built really well, looks better in person.
UERM/UE4 can seem a bit thin with bright tonality on the Leckerton, with the UE11 muddy on the mini^3.
Source can really be heard with Leckerton in these combos.
I've got a UERM demo right now.. and I absolutely LOVE it. I find it very complimentary to the JH13Pro FP. Been using the UERM demo with the UHA-6S MKII's (built-in) DAC & amp (AD4627 opamp), and I agree.. this little rig sounds wonderful. As you stated, it's very transparent and neutral.
CEE.. I might be PM'ing you about getting a UERM.. sooner than later.
:)
Cool. Can't wait to hear more impressions between the two.
@CT; let us know in a week or two if you feel the same about the Leck's tonality.
-
Anax- I edited my post! DOH. Last night I had the iPad set somehow to "Treble Boost" with the EQ and was feeding the Leckerton against my iPhone 4S feeding the mini^3 via LOD. I checked iPad this morning because it just didn't sound right when I plugged things in today. The Leckerton with UERM and the 4627 is really flat, clean, and great. Thanks! To me, not lacking in anything tonally and more refined than the mini^3. mini^3 is still fun and a great pairing with UERM/UE4 but we'll see in a while how I feel about it after living with the Leckerton. :)p15 The Leckerton is so good and clean that I can pick out that little edge/resonance in the treble, Anax. It's noticeable but the only thing that keeps UERM from being "perfect" for me and my preferences. I'm really glad the pairing sounds so much better today!
Combo is Leckerton with the LOD from iPhone 4S to amp section. The 1st gen iPad to DAC section of Leck is a wee bit brighter. Need to live through the combos for a while. On high gain (Nick did lower the gain), there is a tiny bit of hiss...when I can I will swap in the 4627 BRZ version (4627 ARZ is in the unit now) and see if that helps at all (by lowering noise floor).
@Flysweep, awesome! Yes, let me know if you want to talk about them. And, when you have a chance...did you also try the Leckerton by using an LOD to the amp section? Which source are you using? If you do, please let me know how much difference you hear.
-
By the way, FiiO E10 is a decent chinese copy of AMB mini^3 design.
I'll get some ADA4627 and will compare vs OPA209 and ADA4898. ADA4627 is JFET, the other two are BJT.
Pity I don't have UERM here. 4627 seems to be designed to be a successor and/or higher voltage version of AD8610 - similar design from the cursory look.
Bit over/undershoot sharpening going there. Input range is a bit lower than OPA209 (R2R) and ADA4898 (0.3V lower). It has to be 3.3V lower than rail voltage, for UHA 6s mkII, that'd be 3V. (+/-6.3V rails) Above that, overcurrent protection will activate, which will sound extremely bad and even may get busted.
Of course, 3V is a very hot source.
This opamp is available on both Farnell and Mouser. B version is 2x more expensive than A version and there's not really much difference except current noise. B should be better for low impedance IEMs due to lower noise.
--
From what I reckon, JFETs should sound tube-like, more than MOSFET/BJT pairs, but less than IGBTs.
-
The Leckerton seems to be getting smoother in the treble and is better in High Gain mode. I now have no issues with the treble and UERM. The overall sound is smoother with seemingly better weight in the lower end with the mids a bit clearer in High Gain compared to Low Gain. I suspect that some UERM impedance characteristics are noticeable at the Low Gain level Nick set mine at.
Need to find out what gain my amp was lowered to and also roll in the BRZ version of the ADA 4627 to see if hiss lowers in High Gain (non-existent in Low Gain).
I can see why you like this amp/opamp combo, @Anax. Now that the Leckerton seems to be settling in, I'll see over time if I can take a little more treble bite in the mini^3 in exchange for the extra bit of air/liveliness. Right now, I like them both for different reasons.
-
Whats the difference between the Cypher Labs Rhythm S and the db?
-
dB can do computer audio and has balanced or something. S (R?) is just a better battery life version of the original.
-
dB can do computer audio and has balanced or something. S (R?) is just a better battery life version of the original.
? both are DACs so can't both do computer audio? I know db has the balanced.
-
dB can do computer audio and has balanced or something. S (R?) is just a better battery life version of the original.
? both are DACs so can't both do computer audio?
that's a negative. one can only do Apple iDevice audio unfortunately. I tried.
-
dB can do computer audio and has balanced or something. S (R?) is just a better battery life version of the original.
? both are DACs so can't both do computer audio?
that's a negative. one can only do Apple iDevice audio unfortunately. I tried.
Ok. but if I'm only going to use it with my laptop is the sound that much different? Or are both the same in audio quality/sound signature?
-
dB can do computer audio and has balanced or something. S (R?) is just a better battery life version of the original.
? both are DACs so can't both do computer audio?
that's a negative. one can only do Apple iDevice audio unfortunately. I tried.
Ok. but if I'm only going to use it with my laptop is the sound that much different? Or are both the same in audio quality/sound signature?
well you will have to get the -dB then, but I think they sound very similar if not the same.
edit: but if you are only going to use it with a laptop, then I'm not sure if it's the best option as the apple decoder chip appears to add a lot to the cost of the device.
-
dB can do computer audio and has balanced or something. S (R?) is just a better battery life version of the original.
? both are DACs so can't both do computer audio?
that's a negative. one can only do Apple iDevice audio unfortunately. I tried.
Ok. but if I'm only going to use it with my laptop is the sound that much different? Or are both the same in audio quality/sound signature?
well you will have to get the -dB then, but I think they sound very similar if not the same.
edit: but if you are only going to use it with a laptop, then I'm not sure if it's the best option as the apple decoder chip appears to add a lot to the cost of the device.
I actually found someone selling it for $515. (DB)
I was thinking of getting the MK3/CLAS R or DB. but I'm not sure now.. I have the UHA-6S MKII atm... but I wouldn't mind going after the mk3/CLAS R or BD but it would only be for my laptop. I'm not gna drag around all of that. hehe
Do these have hissing at all? I'd like to use them for CIEM...
Maybe I should just go after the Theorem?
-
I honestly don't know but for DAC alone, there are plenty of good USB powered ones. I guess Concero is a bit big maybe? but the ODAC is nice and tiny and if you got decent USB power it's quite good. then you could still use the Leckerton's amp if you like that, as I hear its DAC is what is lacking?
I experienced no hissing with them on HD800 but it's probably way less sensitive than any CIEM out there. :P
-
I honestly don't know but for DAC alone, there are plenty of good USB powered ones. I guess Concero is a bit big maybe? but the ODAC is nice and tiny and if you got decent USB power it's quite good. then you could still use the Leckerton's amp if you like that, as I hear its DAC is what is lacking?
I experienced no hissing with them on HD800 but it's probably way less sensitive than any CIEM out there. :P
Ya I like the portability. I will be moving colleges after I get my BA so the smaller the better...lol
-
Leckerton has a new unit, the UHA760 listed as coming soon:
http://www.leckertonaudio.com/products/uha760
-
Leckerton has a new unit, the UHA760 listed as coming soon:
http://www.leckertonaudio.com/products/uha760
woot! this is the first time I ever sign up willingly for a newsletter.
-
Based on how nice the UHA-6SMkII is, I'm gonna hafta get one of these new ones...
-
Based on how nice the UHA-6SMkII is, I'm gonna hafta get one of these new ones...
I'll pick one up as soon as they're offered. You're free to demo it for a few weeks when I do :)
-
Based on how nice the UHA-6SMkII is, I'm gonna hafta get one of these new ones...
I'll pick one up as soon as they're offered. You're free to demo it for a few weeks when I do :)
eagerly awaiting impressions! I'm going to have to email and ask if this will support Apple i-Devices though.
this is the only audio thingy I have been excited about for a while now.
-
Based on how nice the UHA-6SMkII is, I'm gonna hafta get one of these new ones...
I'll pick one up as soon as they're offered. You're free to demo it for a few weeks when I do :)
Nice!! Thanks! We can do a comparo and I also need to get another little allen wrench set (can't find mine) so I can swap in the BRZ versions of the 4637 opamps (vs ARZ).
-
Sweet. It's 16/48 input so it should still work as the UHA6S does w/ USB on the go I'd presume. I'm wondering if it's a different USB receiver chip or not. I hope the digital pot doesn't muck up anything. I also hope nothing gets compromised w/ the upsampling. I usually don't apply upsampling to my stuff.
If it's the same deal as before, then yes to iPad, no to iPhone.
-
If yes to iPad, then yes to iPhone on ios7. Check it out:http://www.head-fi.org/t/682222/ios7-iphone-and-apple-cck
-
Hello munch,
Yes, the UHA760 will work with the iPad via the CCK, same as the
UHA-6S MKII. It does not use the XMOS chip, however it does have some
of the same benefits of the XMOS asynchronous mode. The UHA760 has an
asynchronous sample rate converter which removes effects of jitter on
the signal from the PC, and this can have an improvement on
performance when streaming USB audio from the PC.
Regards,
Nick
Leckerton Audio, Inc.
just thought I'd share this here. that's good to know!
-
Sounds great. Can't wait to try it with my iPhone and ios7/cck cable.
-
New blog post on the UHA760:
http://www.leckertonaudio.com/blog/2013/10/a-look-at-the-new-uha760-upsampling-usb-dac-and-amp
Interesting bit: The UHA760 lacks S/PDIF optical and coax inputs, and this is mostly due to a lack of room on the circuit board for the connectors. I know these types of inputs are useful for a lot of folks, so I'm planning a model based on the UHA760 which will be a bit larger in size but will also include S/PDIF inputs, a DAC line output, and socketed op-amps. Support for 24-bit/192-kHz USB streaming is another feature you can expect to see soon.
-
that sounds great, I only really listen to 16/44 so this thing's perfect for me.
can't wait.
-
Thanks, ZD. I will not sell my 6S until I know what I want/need with the 760.
-
Yup, sounds like us happy 6S owners can afford to be patient.
-
The Sony PHA-2 looks to be rather promising.
Looks to be XMOS XS1 for USB and PCM1795 for the DAC with an opamp output stage and a separate chipamp for the headphone out.
Appears to be quite well made.
(http://www.phileweb.com/news/photo/d-av/336/33620/ph14-1.jpg)
(http://www.phileweb.com/news/photo/d-av/336/33620/ph14-2.jpg)
-
UHA-6s MKII + HD650 = ?
I am actually wondering if the UHA760 will work with HD650 but if the 6s MKII works well I suspect the 760 might be as good or better.
anyone who have tried or could try and give some descriptions?
thanks!
-
Hey Anax, when you have a chance...let us know if you notice anything between the AD 4627 ARZ and the BRZ versions.
I am going to have Nick adjust my UHA-6S MkII back to normal gain (was set to -12db which is too low for UERM).
As for the yet-to-be released Leckerton 760, you can sign up for an email list on the new unit and the intro price will be $379 and then going up to $439. (I'll definitely be getting one at $379.)
-
Will do, still coughing up a lung. I guess the price increase was inevitable.
-
I don't understand, if I'm reading correctly, 760 can only take up to 16/48? With the increasing popularity of 24/96, 24/192 music, isn't it more feasible to introduce a DAC which supports it? Perhaps it has some engineering reasons.
-
Even though the new UHA760 stock soldered configuration will be with the 8610 opamps, there will be alternate opamp configurations available, including the 4627. Confirmed via email from Nick.
-
^Ha! I just emailed him that question last night...
For the UERM, I hasd my 6S mk II gain lowered -12db. That was a bit too low for UERM, could run out of pot on certain recordings.
Standard is okay, but I think -6db is good for UERM and -12db good for very sensitive iems.
I'll be asking for -6db if that is possible on the new amp and he thinks the gain should be fairly equivalent across models.
-
^Ha! I just emailed him that question last night...
For the UERM, I hasd my 6S mk II gain lowered -12db. That was a bit too low for UERM, could run out of pot on certain recordings.
Standard is okay, but I think -6db is good for UERM and -12db good for very sensitive iems.
I'll be asking for -6db if that is possible on the new amp and he thinks the gain should be fairly equivalent across models.
I've found this to depend on the voltage output of the DAC you use w/ the UHA's amp. Using the UHA's internal DAC (which probably outputs something much lower than 2 Vrms?), the -12dB gain can be a bit low at times.. use an external DAC with a higher output (i.e. like the ODAC.. which outputs the Redbook standard 2Vrms) and the -12dB gain is quite sufficient.
-
^Thanks for that clarification! I like the ODAC from my Mac into Leck but my main rig is there so I don't use it. The work PC stutters into the ODAC. I need to load music and a player to get that system to work. Using iPhone 4S>Leck primarily.
Good to hear that angle on the gain issue. The new 760 has three levels of gain, wonder if that will solve the issue and provide enough options.
-
I'll be using the built in dac. Let us know if he says you can have different lowest gain settings.
-
Good to hear that angle on the gain issue. The new 760 has three levels of gain, wonder if that will solve the issue and provide enough options.
Bugged Nick on the FB page, looks like the gain levels of the UHA760 translate to the following:
Low - equivalent to -12dB on the UHA-6S.MKII
Med - equivalent to the low setting on the UHA-6S.MKII
High - equivalent to the high setting on the UHA-6S.MKII
-
^Awesome, I think that should do it. Nick was kind enough to bring my 6S MKII back up to stock from -12db.
For the UERM, I think -6dB might be perfect but with a digital pot on 760 and three choices I imagine it will be just fine.
For the more sensitive UE monitors (UE7, for example), the -12db was perfect with my iPhone 4S LOD as source.
shotgunshane was right to remind that different sources will be at different levels...thanks!
-
Did Anax find the 4627 BRZ the superior op-amp in the UHA-6S MKII? I'm going to see if I can tease out from Nick how much he'll charge for a UHA760 w/4627 BRZ during the preorder. I suspect that's what I'll be ordering.
-
^We should know more this week about the B version...
-
I'm going to see if I can tease out from Nick how much he'll charge for a UHA760 w/4627 BRZ during the preorder. I suspect that's what I'll be ordering.
You could ask how much he'll charge for an LME49990 as well? Just a thought. I don't know your sound preferences, but for someone OCD like me rolling back and forth, it's one of the only chips I'd accept to have soldered down in a portable amplifier these days. AD797 pairs well with CS4398 as well, at least in my desktop CS4398 I thought they complemented each other very well. Side note, I'm not exactly sure why anyone would like to pay $50 extra for the OPA627 versus ADA4627-1? It'd be nice to know his thoughts on that as well.
-
I should have an answer by mid week on the BRZ.
-
Any recommendations for a portable amp that is a little on the "warm" side. Perhaps more "tube" sounding is a better reference.
I'd be using it out of my MacBook through an ODAC to either a set of Philips Fidelio IEM's or Paradox.
Thanks,
Tim
-
I should have an answer by mid week on the BRZ.
any luck? Preorders for the new one are up :)
-
Now to decide 760 or Herus...
-
Any recommendations for a portable amp that is a little on the "warm" side. Perhaps more "tube" sounding is a better reference.
I'd be using it out of my MacBook through an ODAC to either a set of Philips Fidelio IEM's or Paradox.
Thanks,
Tim
Hi Tim,
I listened to dBel's Portatube amp and liked it...I would trade my TTVJ Portable Millet Hybrid for it.
If interested, double check on his configuration and version. It had a DAC in it too, I believe.
Cheers,
C
-
I'm just gonna pre-order the 760 with the 4627 BRZ version. Usually Nick will PayPal invoice me for a configuration that is not set-up on his site. I emailed him and will await an invoice...will be a fun holiday sneaking in some time to listen to the new toys!
EDIT: Leckerton Site says "no PayPal" so I may also need to pay with credit card for 4627-1 version and see if I can pay in the background to get upgrade to 4627 BRZ. Will wait for Nick email reply/confirmation and will update here with info.
-
Honestly so far, I see no reason to not get the BRZ unless you want to pinch pennies. In which case why bother w/ a portable amp if that's your priority.
-
They aren't taking PayPal for the UHA760 preorder as he can't charge until he ships the device. Talk to him via email/offline and he might relax the rules for a custom amp.
Edit: Enough of us bugged Nick that he added the BRZ as a $14 option :)
-
LOL! Yes, Nick added the AD 4627 BRZ option...it is in the drop down menu as 4627-1B Add $14. I'll order online.
-
I currently have the regular 4627 on my UHA-6s MK II. Is it worth the extra money to purchase the 4627-1B?
-
I currently have the regular 4627 on my UHA-6s MK II. Is it worth the extra money to purchase the 4627-1B?
If you can wait a week or two, I can have a better answer for you. Just too much on my plate atm.
-
I currently have the regular 4627 on my UHA-6s MK II. Is it worth the extra money to purchase the 4627-1B?
If you can wait a week or two, I can have a better answer for you. Just too much on my plate atm.
Yep, no rush. My money can wait.
-
Now to decide 760 or Herus...
Ah hell, I got both.
-
Now to decide 760 or Herus...
Ah hell, I got both.
Will be interested to read your impressions of both. I generally like the Herus very much, but with a couple of minor reservations. If the Leck works with iOS devices and can run with the big little dogs, I'm interested.
-
Now to decide 760 or Herus...
Ah hell, I got both.
Will be interested to read your impressions of both. I generally like the Herus very much, but with a couple of minor reservations. If the Leck works with iOS devices and can run with the big little dogs, I'm interested.
I just placed the leck order today. I'll post some thoughts here and over at HF when I receive it.
-
First thoughts trying out the new Leckerton 760:
The ODAC is smoother/warmer, more natural than Leck 760 DAC using USB from old Mac G5 Tower.
760 DAC section suffers some grain, digititus from my computer with UERM (with your iems, may vary).
Didn't compare 760 DAC to the 6S DAC, but both DAC sections don't grab me to keep listening.
But: the Leck 760 amp Gain and digital pot is silent even in High Gain with the AD 4627 BRZ opamp until about 1pm on the pot (well past my listening range). That's great because the UERM sound better (bit more full and better tonal balance) at higher gain settings and the 760 is better suited to all kinds of phones with different sensitivities and not requiring physical gain adjustment modifications from Nick.
My 6S MkII with AD 4627 ARZ version opamps and at High gain has hiss and not a very usable range of volume with channel imbalance at low levels. I have to ask Nick to change my 6S now to -6db (-12 db and the low gain was too low at times, and stock the low gain is a little high for UERM at times). Plus I need to put the BRZ version of the AD 4627 opamps in and then compare 6S to 760.
The 760 digital pot and 3-position gain switch are really nice. Quickly turning the pot can produce the <slightest> switching noise as the physical pot signals digital volume control. (Ratcheting up the gain?) Not a problem for me, what I don't like are the noisy iBasso volume pots.
My plan is to continue to use the iPhone w/LOD or the ODAC to amp section and after proper head-to-head (adjustments to 6S mentioned above), decide which to keep.
Crossfeed puts more in center and pulls from the sides. I probably won't use but it might be one of those things you have to use for a while before you like it?
Note: I'm just putting it through what I will use it for (UERM).
-
Some very brief Herus and UHA760 thoughts (the 760 is brand new and I've only got a couple of hours with it) using an iPhone 5>CCK>USB>DAC/amp:
The Herus sounds more dynamic and bigger in size than the 760, with a little bit better deep bass.
The 760 sounds more laid back and smoother to me; doesn't quite have the sparkle of the Herus.
The 760 has a slightly blacker background.
Both are closer to each other than either one to the Meier Quickstep, which sounds overall warmer, darker and bassier.
While the Herus wins in form factor and minimalist approach, the 760's digital volume pot and 3 setting gain stage are just simply awesome with IEMs and is worth the price of admission for those reasons alone.
With most of my IEM collection, I really enjoy the Herus dynamics, power and soundstage but the 760 seems the better match with the JH13- I enjoy the smoother treble from it. I think I'll keep both and call it a day with portable amps.
edit: I should add that my 760 has the 4627brz
-
Some very brief Herus and UHA760 thoughts (the 760 is brand new and I've only got a couple of hours with it) using an iPhone 5>CCK>USB>DAC/amp:
The Herus sounds more dynamic and bigger in size than the 760, with a little bit better deep bass.
The 760 sounds more laid back and smoother to me; doesn't quite have the sparkle of the Herus.
The 760 has a slightly blacker background.
Both are closer to each other than either one to the Meier Quickstep, which sounds overall warmer, darker and bassier.
While the Herus wins in form factor and minimalist approach, the 760's digital volume pot and 3 setting gain stage are just simply awesome with IEMs and is worth the price of admission for those reasons alone.
With most of my IEM collection, I really enjoy the Herus dynamics, power and soundstage but the 760 seems the better match with the JH13- I enjoy the smoother treble from it. I'm think I'll keep both and call it a day with portable amps.
edit: I should add that my 760 has the 4627brz
Cool, give us an update later. Especially thoughts versus the UHA6Smk2
-
Thanks for Herus/760/Quickstep comparo! It is so rare to hear Meier impressions in California that I have one coming to try on loan.
I heard that the Herus sounded really good but the noise floor with classical was just a bit too distracting. How is Herus noise floor with your iems?
-
SABRE treble.
-
I actually like the treble on the Herus. I was worried about the Sabre treble I've read about but was pleasantly surprised.
The only iem it gives me some noise/hiss is with my FitEar F111 but that's also my favorite pairing. I don't listen to much classical, so I'm probably not the best to give advice there but the noise on the F111 doesn't bother me with acoustic/singer/songwriter stuff and isn't noticeable with my rock collection playing. I'd have to imagine that pairing would not be good with a lot of quiet passages though. Surprisingly I didn't notice any with my JH13.
-
I'm not necessarily a fan of the Herus treble.
If you want the best combo, use Herus as a DAC feeding the Leckerton. Still second to me behind ODAC > Leckerton, though.
-
Cool, give us an update later. Especially thoughts versus the UHA6Smk2
I no longer have my 6s, so any thoughts are purely speculation based on memory. For whatever reason, I want to say I remember the 6s being a little more 3d but having much more etched treble. My 6s had the 209 opamps. I think Flysweep may still have his and the 760, both with the same opamps (4627brz).
I just have to reiterate the JH13 sounds really damn good with the 760 and has become my go to combo over the past couple of days.
-
Pico dac question:
has anyone found one channel dead after a while? My right channel is dead ln DAC mode, but strangely, both channels work just fine in pure amp mode.
-
That happened to me with another DAC/Amp. In my case it was a blown cap at the DAC output. I would check with Justin.
-
Thanks ultrabike, I've sent him an email.
-
Anymore impressions of the 760?
-
The 760 makes me not enjoy my mini^3 as much anymore...Leck is smoother and cleaner. Great controls. Definitely recommend it.
The mini^3 is available for sale if someone wants to make an offer on it. ;)
-
Oh no! Something to finally dethrone the Mini^3 ! I know you weren't fond of it, but I am still very much enjoying the Pico Power and I think I enjoy it for the reasons that you didn't like it. Creates a large soundstage and has a little more punch going on from top to bottom.
-
Hahaha...I'm glad that you are digging the Power. I borrowed another one to be sure and I do like it a bit better the second time around (less expectation is a good thing). When I have all the amps back in house I will compare again to the 760. Which phones are you using with your Pico Power?
Was wondering who else has tried the Meier Corda Quickstep? Tried it recently and it seemed clean with a nice volume control...but seemed to have a bit less bass than the 760 so I didn't think as great a match for the UERM. Any other impressions from those who have heard it?
-
I use the Power with the UERM and the JH13FP. I think the 13 is a little less fussy with amplifiers than the UERM.
I tried one of the small desktop Corda amps (Jazz I believe is the name) and it was just too much gain for Custom In Ears. I did like the channel balance, but I could hear the steps and a slight pop between steps. I assume this is all probably because the gain was setup for larger headphones. Sonically - it didn't take me anywhere new. My PPAv2 does work really well with IEMs and I know you can pretty much get a portable version of it with a battery pack PPAv2 or the Lisa3 amp is somewhat similar if I remember correctly.
-
Hahaha...I'm glad that you are digging the Power. I borrowed another one to be sure and I do like it a bit better the second time around (less expectation is a good thing). When I have all the amps back in house I will compare again to the 760. Which phones are you using with your Pico Power?
Was wondering who else has tried the Meier Corda Quickstep? Tried it recently and it seemed clean with a nice volume control...but seemed to have a bit less bass than the 760 so I didn't think as great a match for the UERM. Any other impressions from those who have heard it?
Interesting. For me the Meier Quickstep was a bit on the dark side and was too bassy with my JH13 but sounded great with the ER-4S. Even though I thought it a touch darker, it was still pretty transparent. It also had a larger stage than most of the other portables I've tried. Even so, I prefer the 760 to it, which has tighter bass and clearer definition overall.
-
That's what surprised me! I'll have to get someone else locally to confirm what I heard and report back. I'll have it again in a couple of weeks. Did you hear much difference with the 15V adapter? (If you had one to try.)
-
I didn't have a 15v adapter to try. I assumed that was more for high impedance cans, so didn't look into it.
-
For me the Meier Quickstep was a bit on the dark side and was too bassy with my JH13 but sounded great with the ER-4S. Even though I thought it a touch darker, it was still pretty transparent. It also had a larger stage than most of the other portables I've tried. Even so, I prefer the 760 to it, which has tighter bass and clearer definition overall.
Exactly how I heard the QS, as well. Transparent.. with a huge soundstage.. serious bass performance. I remember it possessing a very black background, as well.
-
sooo... I've decided to sell the Modi & Magni stack, getting a bit of channel imbalance with RE-600 sadly. plus I heard that damn Vali and I want one...
anyway, I'm really wanting to get something that I can use plugged into my computer as well as with iPad which I've been asking earlier in this thread. but...
I'm a bit afraid I'll be disappointed with the UHA-6s MKII's DAC and the new UHA760 seems to have a bit of glare if going by CEE TEE's comparisons.
would like something that is on par with an ODAC or something although that doesn't seem to be possible. maybe I'm putting a bit too much weight in DAC but I've heard such huge differences from onboard chips I'm convinced I want a good DAC.
so... what I'm wondering is... for my RE-600 and possibly use with something else for gaming... what to get?!
I don't really want to spend more than 300 so that kind of doesn't leave me with much, I'd assume. maybe this is just a post to have you guys persuade me into spending a bit more... :P
-
Shots of the new Cavalli Portable (http://www.head-fi.org/t/665398/new-cavalli-audio-portable-amp-officially-in-the-works/105#post_10145148) coming together.
-
Shots of the new Cavalli Portable (http://www.head-fi.org/t/665398/new-cavalli-audio-portable-amp-officially-in-the-works/105#post_10145148) coming together.
I hope it wont cost a fortune for one of those.
-
it won't
-
I've had the Herus and 760 long enough to know I prefer the Herus as far as sound alone. However the 760 digital volume control pot and gain features are extremely useful, so I've been pairing the two units together lately and it's pretty much the best of both worlds plus some added bulk. I get the richer, more dynamic and spacious sound of the Herus, plus the bass control and clarity of the 760, along with the volume pot for easier volume control. Paired with my iPhone or iPad mini, it makes for a very nice portable experience.
-
^I will definitely try that Herus/760 pairing, thanks! How is the noise from the Herus to 760 ameliorated?
-
^I will definitely try that Herus/760 pairing, thanks! How is the noise from the Herus to 760 ameliorated?
It helps- I only hear it on high gain with the 760 volume at about 3/4 of max using the F111 or JH13. That was of course without music playing. I usually only use low or med gain.
-
One bad thing about the Herus with an idevice- it sucks the battery down. After an hour it drained 40% with very little multi tasking. I may just save it for home use with the iPad.
-
One bad thing about the Herus with an idevice- it sucks the battery down. After an hour it drained 40% with very little multi tasking. I may just save it for home use with the iPad.
Interesting, but my experience has been very different. Last night I listened to music on my iPad Air w/Herus under fairly demanding conditions (source was a Seagate Wireless Plus drive, so the Wi-Fi radio on the iPad was running pretty much continuously. Battery went down about 12 percent in two hours. Now, admittedly, I listen at pretty low volume, so I don't be much of a load on the amp section of the Herus. So there's that.
Guess everyone's mileage varies.
-
burns, I think shotgunshane meant he saw 40% drain in an hour on an iphone and that he would use it on an ipad in the future :)
-
I was running iPhone>Herus>760, so I had volume maxed on the Herus into the 760. This is the main reason for the drain. Isn't max volume recommended for max bit line out?
Edit: Read the Resonessence Labs FAQ. Max volume is 2.5v, so perhaps I can lower it a few volume ticks and retest battery drain.
-
I went 3 ticks down in volume from max with the iPhone volume buttons and battery usage went to 30% in an hour instead of 40% at max.
-
Are you saying that you went from 100% to 30% in an hour or that you used 30% of your capacity in an hour?
Sorry if I'm being a bit slow.
-
Are you saying that you went from 100% to 30% in an hour or that you used 30% of your capacity in an hour?
Sorry if I'm being a bit slow.
Good question, I should make it more clear. I used 30% of the battery capacity in an hour, so I have 70% left.
-
Thanks. This is a good discussion. Some of these products can really drain the iProduct.
For example... using a iClassic with the CLAS was/is a real power draw. I finally switched to a iTouch because the SSD would give me more acceptable battery life. It was interesting to note that battery life was slightly improved by using lossless which required less conversion before the data was transmitted...
-
I'm so looking forward to the Cavalli portable. The prototype I heard a while back remains one of the best sounding portable amps I've ever heard.
Someone in the thread asked Alex why he didn't go with a balanced amp. Am I the only one who thinks balanced portable amps are kind of obnoxious? LOL. I'm just sayin'...
-
It goes hand in hand with the trend for portables that are geared up to drive the HE-6. I just want something that sounds good with IEM's when I'm going portable!! Even if I can, I'm not going to use my HD-800's on the tube!
-
I went 3 ticks down in volume from max with the iPhone volume buttons and battery usage went to 30% in an hour instead of 40% at max.
In contrast the 760 only used 10% battery capacity in an hour.
-
It goes hand in hand with the trend for portables that are geared up to drive the HE-6. I just want something that sounds good with IEM's when I'm going portable!! Even if I can, I'm not going to use my HD-800's on the tube!
I agree with this sentiment and am consistently disappointed by portable amps. Sure, it's nice that my ALO MK3 can drive my LCD's and AD2000, but the performance just pales in comparison with any of my desktop amps. I wouldn't use the HE6 on it anyway, which reduces its performance to a very ordinary headphone. So after spending an inordinate amount of money on customs, DX100, CLAS, etc... I can hardly listen to this setup, but for convenience sakes. Just my viewpoint, but I never thought portables could compete with the big guys at home, and there hasn't been a release in the portable world that changes this thinking by even a fraction.
-
Having more space buys you a lot of possibilities should you choose to pursue them. No surprise the best portable amp out there atm is still the LISA. But it's not 'portable' so there's that.
I'd buy a balanced amp just to avoid TRS jacks. Time those went the way of the Dodo.
-
Ummm...anyone else actually compare the Leck 6S Mk. II and the 760 side-by-side, same opamps?
-
I'm considering getting 760 w/
ADA4627sAD8610s for portable use. I'm pretty sure they are the same amplifier and the main tweak is the crossfeed circuit and ASRC...
Pity the USB and SPDIF inputs are again mid-end. (Except the nice resampler.)
Oh, right, the filter will be better, with slope higher up. That might be audible.
Something in the amplifier costed lots of battery life though, likely the ASRC chip. Why would that need to run if the USB and SPDIF are off though?
The battery life is clearly halved from UHA 6s mkII.
-
I finally have both in-house at the same time and was surprised when I just compared them. Same opamps, ADA4627 1-B (BRZ version +$14).
My 6S has been adjusted twice to dial in the gain for my UERM and portable source, it is -6db. Not sure how many hours on the 760, far fewer than the 6S though.
The 6S has better resolution, space, imaging than the 760. Both have great tonality/balance. 6S more enjoyable. :-00
-
Hmm... wow! Really interesting find there, CT. I really wish Nick would just make an amp-only device with the power of the 6S in a smaller form factor, or a more powerful amp in a similar form factor (not necessarily more mW output). Has anyone asked him if he would make something like that in the future? If not, I'll send him a message.
-
Why 8610? GSM?
-
Power use. 4627 cuts battery life 4x, they both sound excellent and both are reasonably resilient to GSM noise. I'm actually considering making my own portable amp/dac/pmp instead... Will be based on QRV-08 or QRV-09, except without the huge power supply (instead a smaller footprint Cuk converter) and with switchable gain.
-
That's right, I forgot you wanted more life. Though I consider the 8610 more mid-fi sounding relative to other choices.
-
I've been a fan of Nick's Leckerton amps for awhile and like to think a few people here and there got to enjoy the same sound I was hearing from them. That being said, the 760 is something of a miss for me compared to the 6Smk2
Leckerton 760 impressions:
-rougher, less clear and resolving on high gain. Low gain sounds closer to 6Smk2 w/ same opamps (4627 BRZ). Digital pot definitely throwing away bits contributing to the mp3 effect. Seems folks are having issues w/ digital volume control on some of these newer portables these days.
-DAC is a bit clearer, but the hit to the analog section from the digital pot is an overall downgrade unless you like the sound of mp3s. The opening strums on Hotel California are just a mess by comparison to the 6Smk2.
I would only consider the 760 for it's feature set, not as a sonic upgrade over the 6S. Then only if you use low gain w/ IEMs and listen more on the loud side. Usually most portable amps perform better sonically at high gain, however the 760 is the opposite preferring low gain. Even then, the 6Smk2 outshines it at the Nth degree with similar opamps in my opinion.
-
Thanks for the impressions Anaxilus. I've been enjoying the 6S.MKII for the past few weeks and was considering picking up the 760 next (based off of how much I fricken love this little DAC/amp). I'd say that the description "mp3 effect" is pretty disappointing. Between your and CEE TEE's impressions, I'll just steer clear.
-
Thanks for ruining my resale :)p1
-
Thanks for ruining my resale :)p1
I'm sure you'll get a sucker on HF haha.
Has anyone heard the Cavalli porta? I'm interested in that for sure.
-
That's unfortunate about the 760. The 6S Mk.II is an awesome little device.
-
Thanks for ruining my resale :)p1
Yep- messing with our resale...6S amp section with non-digital pot better. (My 6S is at -6dB gain for my UERM.)
-
How's the 760's prospect as "transportable amp" say compared to other transportable amp that some people consider portable? Would the 6SmkII still makes better choice?
-
Has anyone heard the Cavalli porta? I'm interested in that for sure.
Not sure if or what anyone can say about that. I'd be patient till a final production unit is available.
-
How's the 760's prospect as "transportable amp" say compared to other transportable amp that some people consider portable? Would the 6SmkII still makes better choice?
Compared to what exactly? If you mean the LISA w/ external PS, no the LISA wins hands down especially when run DC in.
-
Hmm, I'm not sure exactly, to be honest. What would be the main competitors of the 760 (and the 6SmkII) for, let's say, laptop use in the hotel or some such? And how would both of the Leckertons fair with said competitors?
-
Hmm, I'm not sure exactly, to be honest. What would be the main competitors of the 760 (and the 6SmkII) for, let's say, laptop use in the hotel or some such? And how would both of the Leckertons fair with said competitors?
I thought you were asking about transportable versus portable? If you want to discuss every amp on the market, that's a long list and I'd suggest just reading through the threads or using the search unless someone feels like posting a compendium. There's already more than enough impressions and information on the forum and in this thread to answer that question.
-
Well, I was still basing my question on "transportable", thought that was clear enough; sorry. Just a few other candidates, then I will read up on them some more.
-
Been buying portable music for over 30 years but been serious for the last 9 Years. I do not understand why an amp is needed when many top notch Portable players have enough power to run custom made IEM?
-
Been buying portable music for over 30 years but been serious for the last 9 Years. I do not understand why an amp is needed when many top notch Portable players have enough power to run custom made IEM?
It's really no different than buying a better DAC or source. It's about fidelity.
An amp is never 'needed' as you put it. For anyone running mp3s I'd recommend against wasting your money. A portable amp should hopefully be a better amp that is more transparent improving the sound quality by letting the original recording pass through unmolested. Some IEMs will benefit from added power/current as expressed in dynamic and transient response, others will not. Larger and more drivers and more crossover networks could possibly stand to benefit from some extra push.
For those of us that are used to the quality sound of our ToTL hadphones, speakers , amps and DACs willing to spend $1-$2k to get similar audio performance from our portable rig requires us to take a hit on degrees of portability. Better/best sound simply costs more real estate than an iphone can afford, period.
If it could have been done it would have been done by now. If there was a small DAP in existence that could meet or exceed the performance of my almost 3 year old Leckerton UHA6Smk2 by now, I'd be using it. Nobody in their right mind wants to carry around a brick stack if they don't have to.
This is no different than speakers. There's tons of cheap amps capable of providing enough 'power' to drive a set of speakers. Once that's settled, ultimately you either pay to have electronic gear remove itself from the musical presentation (better components, better circuit/layout, possibly more headroom if you believe in that, etc.) or add itself to it. I'm in the prior camp.
If you are using any typical stand alone DAP/phone, my portable rig likely sounds and performs better than yours. I know because I've heard most of them. There's only one candidate on my radar atm as a replacement and it's not out yet and is very expensive.
-
If you are using any typical stand alone DAP/phone, my portable rig likely sounds and performs better than yours. I know because I've heard most of them. There's only one candidate on my radar atm as a replacement and it's not out yet and is very expensive.
Are you using phone > ODAC > Leck?
-
There's only one candidate on my radar atm as a replacement and it's not out yet and is very expensive.
[/quote]
What amp would that be?
-
Good question. I'm also interested in the answer.
I, personally, have an affinity for TI DACs so I'm curious about the JDS Labs C5D.
-
An amp is never 'needed' as you put it. For anyone running mp3s I'd recommend against wasting your money. A portable amp should hopefully be a better amp that is more transparent improving the sound quality by letting the original recording pass through unmolested. Some IEMs will benefit from added power/current as expressed in dynamic and transient response, others will not. Larger and more drivers and more crossover networks could possibly stand to benefit from some extra push.
For those of us that are used to the quality sound of our ToTL hadphones, speakers , amps and DACs willing to spend $1-$2k to get similar audio performance from our portable rig requires us to take a hit on degrees of portability. Better/best sound simply costs more real estate than an iphone can afford, period.
On a related note, my UE18s arrived a few days ago and I've been putting them through a lot of listening. I've noticed that they scale appreciably. I've been trying different permutations between a Cowon D2, Cowon D2 -> Mini3, and my full desktop rig (with Wavelength Wavelink -> Berkeley -> Placette Active), and the UE18s sound pretty different with each chain.
With just the DAP, the 18s are like 'this is alright but not worth x10 more than my old IEMs', to the desktop rig 'wow, I could conceivably downsize my collection and live with this'.
I'd agree that fidelity/clarity is, by far, the biggest thing that improves. Yes, the bass does sound a bit clearer and well-defined, but overall the desktop setup just brings everything into focus much, much better.
-
Has anyone heard the TU -05b?
-
I had never even heard of the TU-05b before you mentioned it. That thing looks crazy.
-
Has anyone heard the TU -05b?
I heard it in October but can't remember the details. I do recall it didn't make me want to sell anything I have and I also don't recall vomiting.
Caveat: Since it's a tube amp, the tubes used can lead to wide varying impressions.
-
Hmm.. ok. I see an opportunity to get the Triad L3 for a pretty good price. It it that good?
-
Hmm.. ok. I see an opportunity to get the Triad L3 for a pretty good price. It it that good?
Is it that good? Definitely one of the top 2-3 portable/transportable amps I've ever heard w/ my UERM for my tastes and priorities so far. Will it cure cancer? I don't think so.
-
Hmm.. ok. I see an opportunity to get the Triad L3 for a pretty good price. It it that good?
If you decide to not get it, let me in on the deal! I may buy it.
-
Here you go. You can take a stab at it. I'm still trying to save up for the UERM.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/694113/triad-l3-with-firestone-psu
Hmm.. ok. I see an opportunity to get the Triad L3 for a pretty good price. It it that good?
If you decide to not get it, let me in on the deal! I may buy it.
-
I wonder if there is any thing out there with sort of Eddie current sound sig. I know it's just not possible for a zana on the go but some sort of ec house sound would be nice.
If Craig ever designed a portable tube amp, I would buy it
-
So, I spent several hours yesterday going back and forth between GO 450 and Herus. Source was a MacBook Pro running Audirvana, and phones used were UERM. I went through most of my standard evaluation tracks, a mix of orchestral, chamber, solo piano, bluegrass, jazz, female vocals, and blues-rock.
I found the differences to be very narrow.
The GO is maybe a little better at plankton extraction. I spoke in the shoutbox yesterday about how the GO brought out the vibrato on held notes in the English horn solo at the beginning of the second movement of the Baltimore Symphony recording of the Dvorak "New World" Symphony (44.1/16 ALAC ripped from CD).
Both are best-in-class at getting instrumental timbres right.
Surprisingly, given the GO's rated output power, I found that the Herus consistently scaled better. This was especially noticeable on two tracks. On SRV's "Wall of Denial (44.1/16 ALAC, ripped from CD)," it was a push at my normal listening volume, but when I cranked it up on the Herus, it kept its integrity; in contrast, on the GO at high volume, the cymbals receded into the background and the drums went from "thwack" to "thud." Similarly, on the second movement of the Branford Marsalis Quartet live recording of Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" (48/16 AIFF, ripped from DVD), at high volume Jeff Watts' drums should explode out of nowhere when he comes in. On the GO, they come in but they don't explode the same way they do on the Herus. On the same track, at high volume the GO adds just a little bit of excessive metallic sheen to Joey Calderazzo's piano.
The one thing that the Herus clearly does better than the GO is capture the innate drive of the music. I mentioned in the shoutbox that in the Dvorak (which is a live recording), the Herus is more "organic;" the orchestral crescendos sound like musicians asking more from their instruments, not like somebody pushing a slider in the control room. The GO is close, but it's a tiny bit more "artificial. The effect was similar on the first movement of the San Francisco Symphony recording of the Mahler First (DSD download). (Aside: the Mahler is also a great test of the alleged high noise floor of the Herus. I don't doubt that the folks who have remarked on it are accurately reporting what they heard, but it's never bothered me).
On tracks that really swing--like, for example, the violin solo in "Macedonia" from the Mark O'Connor album "Thirty Year Retrospective" (44.1/16 ALAC ripped from CD)-- the GO asks you to get on your feet and flop around like a fool, but the Herus DEMANDS it.
For me, with the way I listen and the kinds of music I listen to, I prefer the Herus by the narrowest of margins. The Herus also wins on versatility; you can run it off an iOS device without a powered hub. That said, because I've owned the Herus since the week it was introduced, mentally I've written off the cost of the Herus. If money is an object, the GO wins handily on value proposition, because it costs slightly less than half the price of the Herus.
Bottom line: I could be seriously happy with either, but if I were forced to keep only one, I would keep the Herus.
-
^Nice comparison, burns! Thanks for posting results.
-
Yup - great read. Love that you referenced specific tracks for me to check out.
-
I still significantly prefer running the GO via LO as a DAC > Leckerton 6mk2 (4627B) over using the HO which has replaced the ODAC in my rig. I remember preferring my old rig to the Herus at the time, maybe I need to see how it compares as a DAC now.
I did notice the same thing you mentioned when testing the HO, lack of ballz/drive compared to the 450 LO and GO1000.
-
Anax.. have you got your GO stacked on your UHA? If so, what are you using to attach the two? Considering the heat the GO generates after some usage, I'm unsure if something like the (plastic) 3M "lock" tape would be safe to use.
-
Some free rubber band straps.
-
Has anyone tried the 8620 with the Leckerton? Curious about performance.
-
The monoprice? I don't recall much improvement with amping on that thing.
-
I think he means the dual opamp.
-
The AlgoR Solo + RX mk3 are indeed very good and better than most mid-fi desktop rigs. It's not really portable though - can't put it into your pocket.
Marv, what do you think of the SR-71B versus the RX mk3? I have the Solo -dB+SR 71B as my portable combo.
-
I think he means the dual opamp.
Oh... right... duh. I need to stop posting at 2am
-
Oh... right... duh. I need to stop posting at 2am
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8mmtesgve1qzbbgyo1_500.jpg)
can't help it :)p17
-
Has anyone tried the 8620 with the Leckerton? Curious about performance.
Anyone get the dual op-amp adapter and roll dual op-amps in the 6S?
-
Check out the new analogsquared paper amp:
http://audio-head.com/something-new-from-woo-the-portable/
Err, I mean woo portable.
-
Yep, I saw that in person at the NY Audio show and thought it was the analoguesquared paper amp at first. And it's going to sell for upwards of $1000? No thank you.
-
How did it sound?
-
Sorry I didn't get a chance to listen to it.
-
I'm still interested in hearing the Lehmann Traveller, but can't find it anywhere outside Germany.
-
I can't even find it there. A buddy was visiting and I asked him to pick one up for me. He couldn't find it anywhere, even at the dealers they typically work with.
-
I'm certainly not one to judge a device strictly on measurements, but a few of the posted ones seem disconcerting on the Lehmann Traveler.
Frequency response 20 Hz to 30 kHz (-0.5 dB) (I'd expect a little better tbh for a portable SS device)
Signal to noise ratio > 95 dB RMS unweighted at gain 0 dB (About 10-20dB worse per standard depending on weighting)
THD < 0.02 % at 3 mW, 330 ohms (0.02 isn't bad or great, but it's at 3mW; using an unusual spec might suggest something)
Output impedance 3 ohms (close to the corrected Meridian at 4.9 ohms and won't help the many IEMs below 20ohms)
Here's the Leckerton UHA6mk2 for comparison:
Max Output Power, AD8610 Op-Amp
16 ohms: 25 mW
32 ohms: 55 mW
62 ohms: 90 mW
100 ohms: 90 mW
300 ohms: 40 mW
(Measurement conditions: Analog input at 1 kHz, output <1% THD)
Max Output Power, AD8620 Op-Amp
16 ohms: 80 mW
32 ohms: 140 mW
62 ohms: 120 mW
100 ohms: 90 mW
300 ohms: 40 mW
(Measurement conditions: Analog input at 1 kHz, output <1% THD)
THD+N
16 ohms: 0.0033% at 1 mW, 0.0045% at 10 mW
32 ohms: 0.0018% at 1 mW, 0.0022% at 10 mW
62 ohms: 0.0012% at 1 mW, 0.0014% at 10 mW, 0.022% at 50 mW
100 ohms: 0.0010% at 1 mW, 0.0011% at 10 mW, 0.012% at 50 mW
300 ohms: 0.0008% at 1 mW, 0.0023% at 10 mW
(Measurement conditions: Analog input at 1 kHz, 20 Hz to 20 kHz bandwidth, no weighting)
Frequency Response, Analog Input
<3 Hz to 45 kHz, ±1.0 dB
5 Hz to 28 kHz, ±0.1 dB
Frequency Response, USB Input
<3 Hz to 21 kHz, ±1.0 dB
5 Hz to 21 kHz, ±0.1 dB
(Measurement condition: 44.1 kHz sample rate)
Frequency Response, TOSLINK Input
<3 Hz to 45 kHz, ±1.0 dB
5 Hz to 28 kHz, ±0.1 dB
(Measurement condition: 96 kHz sample rate)
Output Op-Amps
Internal Power Supply
±6 V, ground-centered, switching converter + low-pass filter
Battery life
Analog input: Up to 30 hours
USB Input (charging disabled): Up to 10 hours
Output Impedance
<0.5 ohm
So either I've biased any future listening to perceive the Lehmann as bad or expectations will be lowered making it sound better. :P
-
Of my three portable amps,the Audinst AMP-HP is my favorite. I will be trying opamp rolling for the first time with it.
-
Has anyone tried the AD8620 for the leckerton?
-
So... it has come to this. I'm looking for a portable amp that has as black a background as can be, and I'm hoping for some advice here.
I really enjoyed the Leckerton UHA-6S Mk.II, and greatly regretted selling it... and at this rate, I think I may just purchase a new one with both the 8620 and 4627 op amps... but would love to know what else is there that may best the Leck. Ability to drive HE-560 not necessary since this one will primarily be used with the Sony Z7.
:)p4
-
but would love to know what else is there that may best the Leck. Ability to drive HE-560 not necessary since this one will primarily be used with the Sony Z7.
:)p4
Triad LISA. If there was anything else I knew of or tried I'd be using it right now instead of the Leckerton. Make sure you get the 4627-b equivalent if you do.
-
Marv preferred leck to L3 Lion with HD800. Has a tad too much sweetness for him.
-
Those looking for a portable amp that can drive both sensitive IEMs and hungry headphones might wanna hold off for a bit. Something's coming later this year. Will support both balanced and single ended. Sounds like a high end desktop amp. Price is competitive w/ similar portables. Can't say any more.
-
Marv preferred leck to L3 Lion with HD800. Has a tad too much sweetness for him.
I've only heard the older one with the LPS so far.
-
My favorite portable amp so far has been the Cypher Labs Duet but it's rather larger and doesn't give much volume knob usage with iems. But it sounds awesomely large and dynamic with a great black background.
I didn't care for the Triad Lisa when I was able to borrow one. Used it with the PSU too. I thought it made my HD600 a touch hot in the upper mids.
If staying on the small side like the Leckerton, the Vorzeamp Pure II is worthy. It's super tiny, has an excellent black background and crazy wide left to right separation. The center image seems a little stretched thin with the UERM but very nice with the EarWerkz Legend. Probably doesn't beat the UHA-6s in resolution (not much does) but it will beat it in staging and possibly background silence. But it's on the expensive side- $565. Not sure on its performance with headphones though, I'm only IEMs now.
I want to hear the Cypher Labs Picollo sometime. Seems like an interesting design and I really like the previous CL gear I've heard. It's tiny and much better priced than the Vorzuge.
-
I guess I'll wait until CanJam to see if there's going to be anything worth looking at. For now, my MacBook does a fairly decent job... though there's obviously not enough volume for really tinny stuffs, but I guess I can just boost that with a software amp (urg!).
Otherwise, Leckerton it is. I still have fond memories of the amp, even though I never got to try it with the 4627.
Will be using this with a full-size headphone for a transportable rig so size/weight probably won't be that big of a deal for me. Will look into IEMs one of these days when I have found a pair that has a sound I like (essentially transparent with lots of bass impact and grunt).
-
I didn't care for the Triad Lisa when I was able to borrow one. Used it with the PSU too. I thought it made my HD600 a touch hot in the upper mids.
Well that's weird cuz it had no issues with even a stock HD800 which can be upper mid nightmarish.
-
Otherwise, Leckerton it is. I still have fond memories of the amp, even though I never got to try it with the 4627.
Oh darn, I should have lent you the Leck w/4627 today too...
-
Oh darn, I should have lent you the Leck w/4627 today too...
Well, next time I lend you the headphone, you can check it out with the Leck then. :)p7
I think you can sort of tell from the sound of the Z7 why I'm looking for a high resolution amp. Even preferably something that has an "over-sharpen" effect on the sound.
-
It would be pretty cool to listen to a modded Z7 with the Leckerton w/ 4627-1B. I was able to listen to it *unmodded* from it at the last meet I attended and I hated it...but that was likely just the Z7 w/o mods.
The Leckerton is the one piece of audio equipment I may actually repurchase all over again. I actually miss mine after selling it to ZD.
-
Has anyone heard any of the Portaphile's? Like to know how it pairs with the UERM/ES5.
-
Best amp under US$200 to stack with the Fiio X1?
With juice for the HD600... ::)
-
Well, CEE TEE got me. It took me 0.5s listening to the Leckerton UHA-6S Mk.II equipped with the potent ADA4627 to decide to get the Leck again. At full retail price, no question asked, with overnight shipping!
Honestly, though, I immensely regretted selling mine, and now that I've heard it again, this amp/DAC will again be in my inventory! Even if the upcoming Cavalli amp/DAC beats it in resolution, I'll get the Cavalli's and still keep the Leck around!
:)p1
Modded Sony Z7 + Leck is now my favorite (trans)portable setup now. Will definitely have to check out the ability to deal with a transcontinental flight come this June.
-
Any news on the Cavalli portable or the upcoming Leckerton products recently?
-
Any news on the Cavalli portable or the upcoming Leckerton products recently?
No news that I've seen. I broke down and repurchased the Leckerton because...well...it's so excellent that I won't regret the purchase even if news comes next week.
Honestly, though, I immensely regretted selling mine, and now that I've heard it again, this amp/DAC will again be in my inventory!
So true. Never getting rid of it again >.< Too damn good.
-
Bill! I got my Leck with eventual gain of 6 below stock...I just changed phones and couldn't reply earlier. Sorry! Nick changed my gain twice...I tried at 0 gain and then stock 12 before going to 6 which is a sweet spot for UERM.
Hope you can get yours adjusted if you like my unit's gain.
-
I know all of you guys love the Leckerton, but have any of you had the chance to hear the Vorzuge Pure II? Its still the best portable I've heard, but I've never had the chance to hear the Leckerton.
-
Bill! I got my Leck with eventual gain of 6 below stock...I just changed phones and couldn't reply earlier. Sorry! Nick changed my gain twice...I tried at 0 gain and then stock 12 before going to 6 which is a sweet spot for UERM.
Hope you can get yours adjusted if you like my unit's gain.
I was with Bill when he put his Z7 in the amp, he couldn't believe how good it was coming out of that tiny little thing. Literally 0.5 seconds for him to make the proclamation.
-
@CEE TEE: Oh, no worries! I wasn't even expecting a response until tomorrow, what with all you had to go through today (still feeling apologetic even though you kept saying it's not my fault!).
Thanks! Will ask Nick to adjust gain when I place an order.
And will leave Z7 in your care next time I come by to return stuffs. I think the Leck with it is just a sublime (trans)portable setup.
@SoupRKnowva: I could... purchase a used one on H-Fi and be the guinea pig for that comparison. I'm kind of curious about it, too, and... honestly, I think all I really need is an amp right now. Hopefully resale of it won't be too bad when I end up not liking something...
Though I must say, "blackground" is one of its touted features, and I'm kind of looking for that. (and resolution)
@knerian: Yep! Haha... you saw my reaction.
I think a part of it was... I was looking for that "clarity" with the Z7 for so long, because I have modded it for so long, and that was the one thing I was always looking for. There is never enough resolution for me with the Z7, and the worst thing is that it keeps on improving, so I still have yet to see an end. I suspect the Leckerton is the end, either, but at least it does do better than all of my sources.
-
Hm... so after fixing the channel imbalance, and doing some mods to the capacitors, I feel the TTVJ Portable Tube Hybrid is sounding like a smoother/fuller/slightly less detailed Leckerton UHA-6S Mk.II. Airiness, soundstage, imaging, etc... are all about the same. Noise floor be damned until I try to cover the casing with mu-metal.
But... the TTVJ truly is a phenomenon portable amo. Almost matching the transparency of the Leckerton is no small feat, and somehow... I'm enjoying it more for vocals, probably because of less "problems" that I can hear with certain recordings.
So... hmm... after that initial moment of blood rushing to my head, I think I'll hold off on finalizing the order on the Leckerton, and probably wait until either the portable Cavalli amp is released, or attempt to make my own solid state portable amp and tune it to sound like the TTVJ... (this'll be fun!)
Now I can understand why the TTVJ almost never goes up for sale.
-
Hm... so after fixing the channel imbalance, and doing some mods to the capacitors, I feel the TTVJ Portable Tube Hybrid is sounding like a smoother/fuller/slightly less detailed Leckerton UHA-6S Mk.II. Airiness, soundstage, imaging, etc... are all about the same. Noise floor be damned until I try to cover the casing with mu-metal.
But... the TTVJ truly is a phenomenon portable amo. Almost matching the transparency of the Leckerton is no small feat, and somehow... I'm enjoying it more for vocals, probably because of less "problems" that I can hear with certain recordings.
So... hmm... after that initial moment of blood rushing to my head, I think I'll hold off on finalizing the order on the Leckerton, and probably wait until either the portable Cavalli amp is released, or attempt to make my own solid state portable amp and tune it to sound like the TTVJ... (this'll be fun!)
Now I can understand why the TTVJ almost never goes up for sale.
what kind of mods did you do, any pictures?
-
what kind of mods did you do, any pictures?
I soldered high frequency ceramic caps (1pF value) in parallel to the metallized polypropylene caps in the signal paths (left and right channels) in order to color the sound a little bit. <- it's a tube amp so I can do whatever the heck I want, right?
The end result is actually kinda surprising, but I "half-expected" that given that this article:
http://diyaudioprojects.com/mirror/members.aol.com/sbench102/caps.html
...gave me an idea of what would happen when two caps that are underperforming are suddenly coupled in parallel, and then they measure differently.
It gives a slightly cleaner sound, so now the TTVJ amp is just a hair away from the analytical sound of the Leckerton, but I think I'd prefer the smoothness of the tube amp 100%. If only there was any way to eliminate the ringing when I plug the cable in (that's the only time it rings), and to shield the tubes and the buffer op amps away from GSM signal, I think it'd be perfect.
Anyway, if you're interested in knowing which capacitors I coupled the ceramic caps to, I can take some photos by this weekend. I think I'll also take a photo of the fix for the channel imbalance issue (just a voltage divider built using resistors off of RadioShack) for future reference...
-
I soldered high frequency ceramic caps (1pF value) in parallel to the metallized polypropylene caps in the signal paths (left and right channels) in order to color the sound a little bit. <- it's a tube amp so I can do whatever the heck I want, right?
The end result is actually kinda surprising, but I "half-expected" that given that this article:
http://diyaudioprojects.com/mirror/members.aol.com/sbench102/caps.html
...gave me an idea of what would happen when two caps that are underperforming are suddenly coupled in parallel, and then they measure differently.
It gives a slightly cleaner sound, so now the TTVJ amp is just a hair away from the analytical sound of the Leckerton, but I think I'd prefer the smoothness of the tube amp 100%. If only there was any way to eliminate the ringing when I plug the cable in (that's the only time it rings), and to shield the tubes and the buffer op amps away from GSM signal, I think it'd be perfect.
Anyway, if you're interested in knowing which capacitors I coupled the ceramic caps to, I can take some photos by this weekend. I think I'll also take a photo of the fix for the channel imbalance issue (just a voltage divider built using resistors off of RadioShack) for future reference...
interesting if you could take a pic that would be great.
oh and thanks for the great read, a little above my head but informative none the less.
-
Sorry for the late response. But here are some photos:
Voltage-divider to take care of the channel imbalance: (would have tried a pot if it could fit, but I couldn't find a pot that small)
(http://s8.postimg.org/g28nyzonl/image1.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/g28nyzonl/)
Capacitors (orange thingies) for tuning the sound. They are 1pF ceramic caps. Bad in the signal path, I know, but this is a tube amp, which already colors the sound, so...
(http://s8.postimg.org/m4gaphd3l/image2.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/m4gaphd3l/)
-
Nick Kettman approved me to share about the new Leckerton amp-only versions coming out:
"My new amp-only design has some similarities to the UHA-6S.MKII but also includes some improvements. I don't want to release too many details just yet because I still have some major compliance tests to pass. I don't want to set anyone's expectations in case I need to change something in the design. But so far things are looking good. I just wish I could make the process go quicker! :) "
-
For those wondering about Leckerton vs Vorzuge, i have both the UHA760 and Vorz Pure. I haven't heard PureII or UHA6.
They are easily two of the best portable amps out there, i have tried bundles and i have ended up with just these two. For me a portable amp is for IEMs or my Beyer T5ps, i have an ALO RX MK3 if i ever take my ZMFs out. The reason i love these two is how silent they are, both give me a black background even with the notoriously sensitive Vision Ears VE6 XC. That being said the two amps are quite different, the Leckerton shove details upon you, is really refined with great treble presence but can be a bit lean and well, dull at times. The Vorzuge is dynamic, bold and balanced. It really breathes life into what your listening two. It is slower and less detailed against the Leckerton but in general i have still found it to trounce most portable in detail. I prefer and use the Vorzuge more, mainly due to great synergy with my source, the PWAK120-B, which has similar qualities to the Leckerton so the two of them combined can be a little overwhelming, an thicker sound with more macrodynamics i get from the Vorzuge pairs it beautifully. Obviously you then have to assess synergy again with your IEMs so with some i will still use the Leckerton.
Both are great amps for sure.
-
Sorry for the late response. But here are some photos:
Voltage-divider to take care of the channel imbalance: (would have tried a pot if it could fit, but I couldn't find a pot that small)
(http://s8.postimg.org/g28nyzonl/image1.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/g28nyzonl/)
Capacitors (orange thingies) for tuning the sound. They are 1pF ceramic caps. Bad in the signal path, I know, but this is a tube amp, which already colors the sound, so...
(http://s8.postimg.org/m4gaphd3l/image2.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/m4gaphd3l/)
Nice I forgot that the ttvj was a hybrid design just got the cypher lab piccolo and it's nice but I wish it was a little richer. May have to learn more about modding and open it up some day
-
Nice I forgot that the ttvj was a hybrid design just got the cypher lab piccolo and it's nice but I wish it was a little richer. May have to learn more about modding and open it up some day
Yeah. It's kinda amazing what you can do to an original circuit simply by switching capacitors around. It does give an unexpected improvement to the sound.
I like the TTVJ hybrid tube amp because it's portable, got long battery life, sounds pretty good/fun/tubey (the right kind of tubey, not the mushy, super slow and laid-back kind), and it can drive either an LCD-2 or HE-560 without breaking a sweat. There aren't a lot of amps that can pull that off...
-
Yeah. It's kinda amazing what you can do to an original circuit simply by switching capacitors around. It does give an unexpected improvement to the sound.
I like the TTVJ hybrid tube amp because it's portable, got long battery life, sounds pretty good/fun/tubey (the right kind of tubey, not the mushy, super slow and laid-back kind), and it can drive either an LCD-2 or HE-560 without breaking a sweat. There aren't a lot of amps that can pull that off...
Hmm have you ever heard any of the analog square paper amps(specifically the tr-07hp)? I haven't but its Vfet transformer interest me.
oh for those looking for a portable amp massdrop has the cypher labs picollo amp currently at $350 (can go as low as $300) I have it and I like it but I never heard the lekerton.
-
Leckerton is a very good amp. There aren't a lot of portable amps that can best it, and still, its resolution is still among the best. I can only think of a circuit that can best that one when I'm willing to trade battery life, size, and many other factors, which is to say... Nick almost made it as good as can be for the size and that package. It's simply amazing.
I'm also cautiously looking out for Nick's next amp-only device if it can improve upon the UHA-6S Mk.II in a good way. If it can drive some of my orthos, that's even better. I think that's the only area where I'm wishing the UHA-6S Mk.II could do, and then I'd be happy.
Oh, and I haven't heard the Analog Squared tube amp, but I have heard about it. I hope I'll have the chance to try it out at CanJam.
-
Leckerton is a very good amp. There aren't a lot of portable amps that can best it, and still, its resolution is still among the best. I can only think of a circuit that can best that one when I'm willing to trade battery life, size, and many other factors, which is to say... Nick almost made it as good as can be for the size and that package. It's simply amazing.
I'm also cautiously looking out for Nick's next amp-only device if it can improve upon the UHA-6S Mk.II in a good way. If it can drive some of my orthos, that's even better. I think that's the only area where I'm wishing the UHA-6S Mk.II could do, and then I'd be happy.
Oh, and I haven't heard the Analog Squared tube amp, but I have heard about it. I hope I'll have the chance to try it out at CanJam.
yeah the leckerton was my front runner amp but i heard a lot of indirect comparisons with picollo and decided to go with that but I never personally a/b them.
the tr-07hp is different from the rest of the line in that it is completely solid state but uses a transistor design (Vfet) that was developed in the 80s to give the transistor the soundstage of tubes with the benifits of a transistor. The amp is small, about the size of an ak120, so I have become currious.
some literature (overviews)
http://www.firstwatt.com/sitintro.html
http://blog.sony.com/press/sony-demonstrates-pass-laboratories-40th-anniversary-commemorative-vfet-amplifier/
-
That seems interesting. Will definitely have to check it out when I see it.
Anyway, about the Leck... while I think it's good that it's so brutally honest, it also sort of takes away from the enjoyment of sound. Hence why I prefer the TTVJ slightly to the Leck for my brutally honest headphones.
The Leck would be good for headphones that are less resolving, IMO, because then its brutality won't be spotlighted by the headphone. I can sort of imagine it will be a poor pairing with the HD800, even though I have not admittedly heard the pairing.
In the same vein, I also preferred the HD800 out of the Balancing Act (barring any upper midrange weirdness) versus the Ragnarok. Ragnarok is... well, maybe a bit too brutally honest, much like a grown-up Leck.
-
ugh yeah the ragnarok + hd800 paring was horrible, however I never had the pleasure on listening to the balance act (at all). best paring for the hd800 I ever heard was the dna strauss I liked it over the the hd800 + cavalli liquid glass combo (hugo & audiogd master respectly)
coincidentally my picollo +uerm combo sound a little bright like the hd800+ragnarok but not as bad.
-
I see. Glad to find another comrade who hears the same way I do. :D
Funny thing is... I don't think the Leck is bright. Rag is kinda bright. A bit of sharpness around 4-5KHz is emphasized, I think. Not sure if that's intentional or if it was just the HD800.
Leck is just brutally honest... as in... it'll reveal everything, and it scales very well with upstream gears up to the point where the output is clipped by the headphone (so no planars!), but other than that, I think Leck could be "the amp" to go to for ultimate resolution in a compact form factor. It honestly doesn't get much better as far as sound goes. I know some prefer the UERM out of Leck, and I have been entertaining the thought of getting UERM myself... probably after I let go of some of my other gears to make way for the UERM. (most likely the modded ES10)
But from looking at graphs, I don't think UERM is that bright at all. Or... am I mistaken?
-
The UERM is bright at 10k, so it can sound a bit thin in treble but never harsh or piercing to me.
-
Isn't 4khz brightness a known part of the HD800's sound?
The UERM was the only earphone to ever give me hearing fatigue, so yeah, some brightness for sure.
-
I think I hear the HD800's peak as much higher... in the 6KHz region, which made it splashy and sibilant, but not shrill. The Rag exhibited weirdness in the 4-5KHz region as much as I heard on the HE-560, which is shrillness to me, so I thought that was weird. But it might have just been me. In most cases, if this is done right, I can imagine it will act as a pretty good "sharpening filter" and give extra definition, though resolution is still more in the 10KHz+ domain.
10KHz and above generally to me is just piercing if there is resonance, otherwise it acts like a good high-pitch peak that works almost like "extended treble" to me. The SR-009 and HD800 definitely exhibits this behavior.
I think tiredness may also come as a side effect of some UERM units having more emphasis in the 2-4KHz region. This is where I hear "upper midrange" for the most part, and it's the region where shrillness can happen the most.
-
@billy b
Indeed it is, comrade
No the uerm is not bright but the iPod video (with crappy mp3 torrents of modern recordings)+ picollo + uerm= some (not to much though, just enough that it brought to mind the above combo) glare. But my good recordings + geek 450/pono + picollo+ uerm isound great. All my good recordings are in flac so I been meaning to Rockbox my iPod(getting it modded right now). The only thing I'd change about the uerm sound is I'd give it the jh16s bass (& a bigger soundstage but that's true about all iems). Also make them universal my ears don't like customs.
I still want to audition the leckerton at some point, and the aformationed tr-07hp (and cavalli portable).
-
I think tiredness may also come as a side effect of some UERM units having more emphasis in the 2-4KHz region. This is where I hear "upper midrange" for the most part, and it's the region where shrillness can happen the most.
The UERM is a bit laid back in the 2-4k area. With a tone generator I hear a slight dip there, followed by a small rise at 5k. Rin's measurements seem to confirm this as well.
-
Isn't 4khz brightness a known part of the HD800's sound?
The UERM was the only earphone to ever give me hearing fatigue, so yeah, some brightness for sure.
Nope 5.5k.
-
gracias
-
So, has anybody heard about the Oppo amp, or better yet, has had some hands-on time with it? It looks excellent and it seems to be good sounding (and it also seems to go well with Sony A17... :p)
http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/02/oppo-ha-2-portable-dac-and-headphone-amplifier-review/
-
What do you think about iFi idsd micro?
-
What do you think about iFi idsd micro?
Headlong march into the lunatic world of bigger-numbers-means-better-music. But maybe it sounds good. Maybe some of the features are worth having.
I have an iCAN. I was quite willing to be an ifi customer before that horrible marketing-exercise HF thread. :vomit:
-
At least it was better than that shitstorm that Lhlabs did for any < insert any product that's not the geek out >. Thanks to that most head fiers have sworn off crowd sourcing.
-
So, has anybody heard about the Oppo amp, or better yet, has had some hands-on time with it?
Beta tested it. Fit, finish, looks, all excellent, as expected. Nice that it can act as just an amp or DAC, compatible with a wide range of devices, and can charge mobile devices as well. About all the features I think you could want in a device like this. Bass boost is too strong and bleeds into the mids for my tastes, though.
I think the Leck UHA-6S Mk2 beats out the amp section of the HA-2, but the HA-2 works well with most headphones. Even the HD600/650 didn't sound half bad from it.
DAC section might be better than what you get from the Leck. No idea how it compares to the GO products in any regard, though, but those might be better. DAC portion on the HA-2 wasn't too bad for being Sabre-based, though don't expect it to be competitive with top-tier DACs subjectively. It's at least good on paper.
Again, I'd have to compare to the GO products, but HA-2 seems pretty solid and, IMO, is priced well when you consider the entire package.
-
At least it was better than that shitstorm that Lhlabs did for any < insert any product that's not the geek out >. Thanks to that most head fiers have sworn off crowd sourcing.
I'm glad, then, that I was only vaguely aware of it. I'm old-fashioned (or just... plain, old) and think that if a company wants to make a product it should raise capital. Like the Schiit model of doing business. I'd rather buy off a company like that that.
-
I'm glad, then, that I was only vaguely aware of it. I'm old-fashioned (or just... plain, old) and think that if a company wants to make a product it should raise capital. Like the Schiit model of doing business. I'd rather buy off a company like that that.
I'm with you, at first I like the way ifi was doing things they ask imput before building the product then they built it (never once asking you for money) as appose to the lhlabs way (gives us money then ask for features then listen to our marketing as to why you should give us more money for the feature then be disapointed by our quality control and firmware). But when they released the idsd micro it was to much and tried to pack every feature possible resulting in what reviewers said was a slightly better sound for almost $300 more. Now I really think that the schiit way is best decide on a product, build it, market it, and explain to customers the benifit.
To me it seems that products design by the mob, check every spec box but fail to deliver on sound.
-
I'm friends with the guys at LH and Schiit and respect the work they both do related to getting better sound. They both know each well too. One thing that I think Schiit had to it's advantage starting out was Jason's prior sales and marketing experience to know when to either say 'No' to the customer or just ignore them when it turns to ambient noise. Gavin from LH has acknowledged the same late last year but their ship was already full steam ahead down a different path.
I do agree that even I'm having a hard time keeping up with all the perks, projects, campaigns, updates, etc. It's become borderline noise at this point from the overload. That said, I know of people who have been inconvenienced or put off by something or other from both companies in the past but I feel confident in saying no one will be ripped off or taken advantage of by either company. It's okay for people to be upset or dislike a company but I think some people just need to take a deep breath and relax a bit. GO's have shipped, Pulse SE and XFi are shipping. I think we are past the point of vaporware concerns at the very least.
In response, I'm making a thread where people can recommend improvements and constructive criticisms about various vendors rather than just the usual ranting.
http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,2169.0.html
-
I'm friends with the guys at LH and Schiit and respect the work they both do related to getting better sound. They both know each well too. One thing that I think Schiit had to it's advantage starting out was Jason's prior sales and marketing experience to know when to either say 'No' to the customer or just ignore them when it turns to ambient noise. Gavin from LH has acknowledged the same late last year but their ship was already full steam ahead down a different path.
I do agree that even I'm having a hard time keeping up with all the perks, projects, campaigns, updates, etc. It's become borderline noise at this point from the overload. That said, I know of people who have been inconvenienced or put off by something or other from both companies in the past but I feel confident in saying no one will be ripped off or taken advantage of by either company. It's okay for people to be upset or dislike a company but I think some people just need to take a deep breath and relax a bit. GO's have shipped, Pulse SE and XFi are shipping. I think we are past the point of vaporware concerns at the very least.
In response, I'm making a thread where people can recommend improvements and constructive criticisms about various vendors rather than just the usual ranting.
http://www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,2169.0.html
I think your glossing over a lot of the lhlab problems dude. they done a lot to hurt the image of hifi, more so than any other startup I seen. But I will be hopeful that they are learning.
-
I think your glossing over a lot of the lhlab problems dude. they done a lot to hurt the image of hifi, more so than any other startup I seen. But I will be hopeful that they are learning.
Well why don't you put specifics in the other thread? Otherwise some might think you are glossing over things yourself dude.
-
Beta tested it. Fit, finish, looks, all excellent, as expected. Nice that it can act as just an amp or DAC, compatible with a wide range of devices, and can charge mobile devices as well. About all the features I think you could want in a device like this. Bass boost is too strong and bleeds into the mids for my tastes, though.
I think the Leck UHA-6S Mk2 beats out the amp section of the HA-2, but the HA-2 works well with most headphones. Even the HD600/650 didn't sound half bad from it.
DAC section might be better than what you get from the Leck. No idea how it compares to the GO products in any regard, though, but those might be better. DAC portion on the HA-2 wasn't too bad for being Sabre-based, though don't expect it to be competitive with top-tier DACs subjectively. It's at least good on paper.
Again, I'd have to compare to the GO products, but HA-2 seems pretty solid and, IMO, is priced well when you consider the entire package.
Thanks. I'm thinking of getting it to use it with my Sony A17... but I will probably buy a desktop solution for work... I only use the Schiit Magni from my players (i.e. double amping)
-
I'm making a thread where people can recommend improvements and constructive criticisms about various vendors rather than just the usual ranting.
I think I already ranted there, which was sort-of missing the point. sorry about that.
-
Who's got experiences with the new IEM-tuned Rx and Elekit TU-HP01? The Elekit units seems to be very interesting.
-
I'm curious about the Alo. Nothing elekit I've heard sounds very good.
-
Anyone use vorzuge pure ii here?
I kinda tempting to get it but dat price is way too much for portable amp imo.
-
Anyone use vorzuge pure ii here?
I kinda tempting to get it but dat price is way too much for portable amp imo.
I'm working on getting a loaner/review unit to compare to my reference system.
-
^Is it time to check in with Nick at Leckerton to see how his new standalone amps are doing? I may ping him...
-
^Is it time to check in with Nick at Leckerton to see how his new standalone amps are doing? I may ping him...
Yes please! Its been months since we last heard anything about it.
-
Yes please! Its been months since we last heard anything about it.
Not ready yet.
-
I found the Pure2 to be pretty resolving and very spacious for such a small amp. Note edges were a little on the soft side; my Picollo sounds more contrasty in the comparison. It's a very pleasing sound. On the down side I felt the center image was stretched thin and a little too left and right. The Picollo has a much better center image and it's one of the main reasons I chose it over the Pure2.
Patiently waiting on that amp only Leckerton. No digital volume control please!
-
Shane, Nick has mentioned he's working on three amps: one with analog pot, one with digital volume control, and something special he wouldn't say.
-
Nice, thanks for the info.
-
anyone have more info (post CanJam SoCal) on the upcoming IEM amp by Cavalli?
figured with the frenzy over Liquid Carbon that their battery powered IEM amp would be the next star....
-
I found the Pure2 to be pretty resolving and very spacious for such a small amp. Note edges were a little on the soft side; my Picollo sounds more contrasty in the comparison. It's a very pleasing sound. On the down side I felt the center image was stretched thin and a little too left and right. The Picollo has a much better center image and it's one of the main reasons I chose it over the Pure2.
Patiently waiting on that amp only Leckerton. No digital volume control please!
Eww...soft note edges might be a deal breaker for me. Usually that means fuzzier or more diffuse imaging.
-
I found the Pure2 to be pretty resolving and very spacious for such a small amp. Note edges were a little on the soft side; my Picollo sounds more contrasty in the comparison. It's a very pleasing sound. On the down side I felt the center image was stretched thin and a little too left and right. The Picollo has a much better center image and it's one of the main reasons I chose it over the Pure2.
Patiently waiting on that amp only Leckerton. No digital volume control please!
Thanks! Still going to demo it anyway (find someone that own this and 627x around here)
idk that leckerton is gonna release the new model, need to keep checking the site!
-
Elekit TU-HP01
I thought I'd grab an Rx to answer the question, but appears they are sold out.
-
Hello Fellow Pirates :)p4,
Does anyone have any comments or impressions for the Oppo HA-2 portable AMP/DAC?
-
Hello Fellow Pirates :)p4,
Does anyone have any comments or impressions for the Oppo HA-2 portable AMP/DAC?
It's a really stable DAC/amp, but it has quite a bit of background noise especially if you're using earphones.
-
^Important point. Thank you.
-
^Important point. Thank you.
I should mention: it's higher absolute hiss levels than an original AK100, but not by a large amount. But it is almost as stable as it gets under load. Kind of bright sound signature, but good. Good device. Great price. Why leather-ish stuff around it? No idea.
-
Will the hiss annoy me to the point that I want to throw the device?
-
Will the hiss annoy me to the point that I want to throw the device?
I don't know how sensitive to hiss you are. What DAPs/amps do you use with what earphones? And what levels of hiss do you hear? I was called hiss king at head-fi, but that was when I was 28. I'm 35 now. I'm still very sensitive, but I've used so much stuff now that I understand that the base level of hiss tolerance is high.
-
Anybody tried these amps?
http://www.practicaldevices.com/amps.htm
Given that they have been in business since 2005 (the same year of the internet page, lol;) and there are only few reviews, I gather they are either a very well kept secret or that people were not too impressed.
EDIT: maybe one of the senior pirates with time on their hands can produce a chart a la Purrin DAC awesomeness for the new people to peruse and avoid traps.
-
They got popular for a month or two on head-fi years ago with the IEMers. Didn't last long. Forget if I heard it or not at a meet. If I did, that should tell you something.
-
Forget if I heard it or not at a meet. If I did, that should tell you something.
Just what I figured. Thanks!
-
Yeah back in the days when battery dac/amps were all the rage, when the main players were iBasso, RSA, the Headamp Pico family, Meier's #Move, etc. I remember the XM6 was featured on one of the very first headfi videos, so it had a good surge in popularity right after that. It doesn't come up on the used market very often though.
-
Anyone else have a Vorzuge? I have the VorzAMP Duo and it's quite good for a portable amp. I don't actually need it to be portable, though. I'll probably try to sell it since I have a Liquid Carbon coming now.
-
Anyone try the Noble BTS Bluetooth adapter? I just received a BTS today and, well, I'm going to reserve judgment until I know it's fully charged.
-
Anyone try the Noble BTS Bluetooth adapter? I just received a BTS today and, well, I'm going to reserve judgment until I know it's fully charged.
Yup. Totally happy with it. For what it is and what it costs, I'm not aware of anything that comes close.
-
burns, what do you use it with? can it drive UERM to satisfaction? ER4?
-
After charging it for a couple hours, and also trying it while connected to usb power, with my UE18s, someone on hf said it best - It sounds like the bass drivers stopped working. It's not subtle. Bass is just gone. Maybe I got a bad egg. The audio also stutters for maybe 20-25 sec after the bt connection is made.
To be fair, Noble support suggested I charge it for 12 hours to be sure it's not a power issue, but it sounds the same even when plugged in.
-
burns, what do you use it with? can it drive UERM to satisfaction? ER4?
Noble PR mostly, but have also tried it briefly with UERM. Loud enough for the gym, but won't deliver ear-bleeding volume. There are times that I wouldn't mind another 2 dB.
Lack of bass? That's not a BTS issue, that's an inherent limitation of Bluetooth. And check your insertion depth and seal.
The stuttering appears to be variable, based on what's at the other end of the connection. I get it bad with AK Jr., but hardly at all with iOs devices.
-
I am considering the ALO RX MK3 but can anyone tell me if there are different versions of it? Also how much different is the MK3+?
-
I am considering the ALO RX MK3 but can anyone tell me if there are different versions of it? Also how much different is the MK3+?
Bear in mind the MK3 is very noisy with iem's. Even after I requested attenuation. I have the original Mk3 and don't know if followig iterations fixed this issue. Great amp otherwise, very balsy.
Noisy with following
UERM
Westone ES5
UM Miracles
AD2000
Various Grados
No noise:
LCD Series
HD800
HE500/6
-
^Thanks for that info!
-
Bear in mind the MK3 is very noisy with iem's. Even after I requested attenuation. I have the original Mk3 and don't know if followig iterations fixed this issue. Great amp otherwise, very balsy.
Noisy with following
UERM
Westone ES5
UM Miracles
AD2000
Various Grados
No noise:
LCD Series
HD800
HE500/6
Yeah, it really sounds quite good with headphones. Not aggressive and not too laid back, but very nice soundstaging and layering. Decent plankton/resolution and not offensive up top or down below.
-
anyone heard the new alo rx for iems?
I've generally stayed away from there products do to the snake oil cables but this amp seems interesting
-
anyone heard the new alo rx for iems?
I've generally stayed away from there products do to the snake oil cables but this amp seems interesting
I have one and will make a report. But my IEMs are:
Ultrasone IQ (second only to SE846 in sensitivity)
Grado GR10
Grado GR8
Grado GR8e
FitEar MH335DW
Earsonics Velvet
I've got more but I'm drunk.
-
I just picked up the Schiit Fulla, and immediately noticed that it feels noticeably bass light or thin/cold or something (not exactly sure what term fits best). I compared it to my other portable amp/DACs - the Dragonfly 1.2 and FIIO e09k. The e09k is much warmer than the Fulla, in a good way, but also muddier. The Dragonfly 1.2 essentially sounds the best of the three - nicer bass/warmth than the Fulla but also with the resolution that the Fulla seems to provide.
I am a bit surprised by this result for the Fulla, and wondering if anyone else has heard similar things?
Edit: Perhaps it's not bass light, so much as treble forward/bright...
-
Not me. The Fulla was the warmest and least offensive of the many dac sticks I've tried.
You using foobar?
-
Not me. The Fulla was the warmest and least offensive of the many dac sticks I've tried.
You using foobar?
Well, a good idea. I tried it in Foobar with wasapi - but, my impressions didn't change - the Fulla definitely has a bright/upward tilt to it compared to the DragonFly, and it's enough that it makes the cellos feel thin/bright.
Perhaps it's the HP - I have only tried this so far on my Creative Aurvana Live! headphones. I realize these aren't much to speak of, hey they're for my cheapo portable setup, but they're enough that I hear noticeable differences with these amp/DACs.
I wonder if I got a goofy Fulla. It does not sound defective, just not as _full_ as I think it should.
-
Can u try asio in jriver? Every dac review I've read and based on my hearing is it's a warm and full sounding DAC.
i really have nothing else to offer wrt what you are hearing. Btw, was it you who said the Dragonfly stomped on the Geek Out too?
-
Btw, was it you who said the Dragonfly stomped on the Geek Out too?
No, that's not me.
In any case, thanks for chiming in with your thoughts - I had also read that the Fulla should be reasonably warm. I wonder if it has something to do with pairing with the CAL!. These HP's are a little happy in the highs. I will try it with some other cans later...
-
No, that's not me.
In any case, thanks for chiming in with your thoughts - I had also read that the Fulla should be reasonably warm. I wonder if it has something to do with pairing with the CAL!. These HP's are a little happy in the highs. I will try it with some other cans later...
Yes, they can be a little happy up top. Surprised the Fulla isn't getting you bass as the CALs have sufficient quantities as well.
-
I'm glad, then, that I was only vaguely aware of it. I'm old-fashioned (or just... plain, old) and think that if a company wants to make a product it should raise capital. Like the Schiit model of doing business. I'd rather buy off a company like that that.
My words are a regular part of my diet! They are made to be eaten regularly.*
Well, I stand by (and have repeated recently) my personal opinion of the crowdsourcing thing, but right now I am listening to a Geek Out 450 (courtesy of Kothganesh) and enjoying it very much.
But I'm also contemplating making a wire stand for it to help with the heat dissipation. Do people carry this around in their pockets?
*Yes, I know it's unoriginal. W. Churchill said something similar, but he probably put it better.
-
Surprised the Fulla isn't getting you bass as the CALs have sufficient quantities as well
Yeah, I listened some more with some different cans. It's not that the Fulla is bass light, it's that it has more treble going on than the others. It seems like it's a bit much.
-
Yeah, I listened some more with some different cans. It's not that the Fulla is bass light, it's that it has more treble going on than the others. It seems like it's a bit much.
I dunno if there was a silent revision, firmware update or some source setting/synergy is off, but that's not quite the sound Marv, OJ and I heard at our meet. Perhaps the newer drivers are having an effect?
-
I dunno if there was a silent revision, firmware update or some source setting/synergy is off, but that's not quite the sound Marv, OJ and I heard at our meet. Perhaps the newer drivers are having an effect?
The Fulla I tried at the beginning of the summer was definitely warm sounding. Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.
-
Excellent reference.
I'll have listening impressions of the Headstage Arrow 5TX (Enhanced Bass) sometime tonight hopefully.
This thing is tiny. I have no idea how he crammed so many features in here.
-
Excellent reference.
I'll have listening impressions of the Headstage Arrow 5TX (Enhanced Bass) sometime tonight hopefully.
This thing is tiny. I have no idea how he crammed so many features in here.
That was my first real portable amp after the Fiio E5. Still have it. Great packaging.
-
Headstage Arrow 5TX (Enhanced Bass Boost)
It's here. It's tiny.
Bass Frequency: Low, Medium, High
Bass Boost: 0, I, II
Treble Boost: 0, I, II
Gain: 0, I, II
A dac
I don't know how the F all of this got packed into something of this size.
So far, it sounds surprisingly good. Perhaps not as clean as the Vorzuge, but... well, look at a graph:
(See below. I don't know how to put image attachments inline because this BB system is from the 1900s.)
WTF. Bring on the BASS.
I have my Fostex TH600s shaking on my head right now.
Treble boost is 3dB or 6dB.
Bass boost is all over the place based on the combos. The Teal colors are at the Low frequency, Purple colors are Medium frequency, and Red colors are High frequency (Upper Bass).
-
Geek Out (450)
But I'm also contemplating making a wire stand for it to help with the heat dissipation. Do people carry this around in their pockets?
Nobody? It was a serious question. Portable devices, Android, is all part of the sales spiel. I haven't tried this with phone/tablet yet, but certainly will do, but there is no way I would want so much heat next to my phone. Or my body.
So are these devices used for portable in the sense of pocket/commute/travel, rather than in the sense of laptop?
-
Geek Out (450)
Nobody? It was a serious question. Portable devices, Android, is all part of the sales spiel. I haven't tried this with phone/tablet yet, but certainly will do, but there is no way I would want so much heat next to my phone. Or my body.
So are these devices used for portable in the sense of pocket/commute/travel, rather than in the sense of laptop?
Get a pouch for it big enough to put the USB connector cable as well. Voila! I think for the iPhone you need the CCK but not sure about other smartphones and/or DAPs.
-
for Android we have the OTG adapter.
Anyway, my phone usb audio seems to have stoped working, and my tablet still sees my cheapo HiFiMeDIY, but not the GO: says maybe it doesn't have enough power. Maybe so, must take a lot of electricity to produce the heat, before we even start on the sound!
I'll try later with a powered hub...