Quote:
Originally Posted by Vinnie R.
All,
I do not believe the Isabellina HPA would be ready for another 6 to 8 weeks.
Parts are on order, and it'll take a few weeks to receive them and a few more to do final evaluation, build and test...
We plan on using the same remote volume control as used in the Isabella preamp. The Isabellina HPA will have a fixed gain, so the use of a continuous volume control (vs. stepped attenuator) will give more control of the volume level, and it will come with a remote control.
Regarding the input caps, I have not decided yet. Vcaps are definitely on my list, but I am also going to try some paper-in-oil caps (as used in the Isabella preamp) and make comparisons (along with trying that silver in cotton wire that Ken has  ).
Hi GreenLeo,
Thanks. Anything cheaper? I don't care so much about the sound quality of them - I just need them to be very sensitive so I can test the noise performance...
Best regards,
Vinnie |
For lower cost super high sensitivity you'll find the $250 Livewires customs to be very good at revealing hiss, and they'll sound similar to a Grado RS-1 to let you enjoy the sound as well. They are a bit more sensitiive than my Westone 3 which you borrowed recently. But the Shure SE530 would also help reveal hiss and the SE530 might be easier to find cheap - because someone may have a set with an old cracked cable shielding that they are afraid to use now once the warrantee is up.
I just cannot remember how much hiss I had with my Etymotic ER6i, Altec Lansing IM716, UE Super.fi 5 Pro, Shure SE310, Shure E4c, Image X10 which I have sold off. I know my Phonak Audeo and Nuforce NE-7M have almost no hiss at all, and my expensive Senn IE8 also have less hiss than my Westone 3. If I recall my Denon C700 also have less hiss than most others.
So, now you are down to $250 plus impressions (free at CanJam). A new B-stock SE-530 would be close to that price, and hiss at least as much as the Westone 3, but not as much as the Livewires. They sound pretty good too.