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Today's Featured Head-Fi Blog: A Japanese headfier's monologue (Sasaki)
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I think synergy is the key ingredient in this pursuit we are all on for the ultimate eargasim and I feel I have found the synergy for my PS-1 and UE-11's that puts a big Texas grin on my face.
In my book this is what counts. Congratulations again.
__________________ Headphones: Stax: SR-007 MkII, SR-404, SR-003: Ultrasone: Edition 9:AT:ATH-ESW9/ESW10JPN Amps: Stax: SRM-T1S, SRM-252a, Headamp: KGSS(bg) Yamamoto: HA-02 Sources: Lavry DA10 (2), Oppo 981HD, Squeezebox V3, iMod, WD Passport HD 320 with FLAC files Misc: M-Audio USB Audiophile, HagUSB-XLR, Auricap Dock, IeGO and VD cables Feedback: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f12/slwiser-129086/ <><
IC: Willing to sell Stax SR-404 and/or SRM-T1S and the Stax SRS-005II system
Well I believe this sums it up for me. I purchased both the Predator and the Pico. The DAC section of the Pico absolutely blows away the Predator's DAC. It is that obvious. I have been a longtime fan of RSA products, but with regard to these similar products I have to give the edge to the Pico! Suffice to say, I've just sent the Predator back to Ray for a refund. I also agree with wakeride74's finding regarding the great synergy the Pico has with the UE 11's! I think Justin has done a wonderful job with the Pico design, and I am quite happy with it. Don't get me wrong, the Predator is also a wonderful piece of equipment, but in my opinion the Pico takes the prize between the two!
__________________ HOME/PORTABLE SOURCE: Apple 16Gb iPhone, IPod Video 30Gb CABLES: My own custom built Cardas LOD for iPhone AMP: Qables iQube IEM: Ultimate Ears UE-11's
Did you compare the amp section of the two? How many hours do you have on each?
__________________
John aka Jam and Jama Photo gallery at:www.pbase.com/jamato8
The one constant in life is change, so will that change?
Feel with your own heart, see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears. Sand is sand no matter where it is found. Listening to: The Greatful Dead, The Closing of Winterland 1978, Fillmore West 1969, Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen Amps I am currently listening with: RSA B-51, iBasso T4, SR 71A, new Xin Reference, Lisa III with Lab Power supply Favorite headphone: Ultrasone Ed. 9 #1010 Portable amp ratings: *1. SR-71A *2. iBasso D3 *2b RSA Predator *3. Xin Micro *5 iBasso P3 *5b. Mini IV *6. D1 iBasso upgraded amp *6b. iBasso P2 (upgraded opamps) *8. C & C Box (good decay, tilted up high frequency, slightly synthetic) *9 iBasso T1 *10. iBasso T2 *11. XTRA X-1 (warm not neutral, very musical) *12. LD M+ These amps are enjoyable to listen to and present a slightly different interpretation of the musical signal. Portable monitor ratings: *1. PortaPros, KSC35 (modified-a great value) *2. Amadana P-117 bamboo *3. UM2 (respond to top quality amplification but I don't enjoy their sound) *4. OVC 8+ Source: iRiver H130,140, D303 optical out, D-EJ955, D-EJ1000, D-EJ2000, 25s, 25, D-303, D-777 and others (optical out if available) Digital Conversion: Altoid tin Monica Dac I, Altoid tin Monica II Asynchronous Reclocking Dac. Headphone Amplifiers: iBasso D1, IV Micro, IV Mini, Xin Reference, SM3B, SuperMacro V LE, SM3 V6 Xin (IV all switches), XRTA X-1, LD Micro +, LD Micro Tube, C&C Box, iBasso P1, P2, D1, D2, Woo 3 Modified-Siemens 6922 driver, 7236 power tube, Woo 6 Modified Pseudo dual PS - Headphones: Ultra Ed. 9, HD650, Ultrasone 750, HFI780, PortaPro modified, KSC35, Equation RP-21, Westone UM2
Headphoneus Supremus Member of the Trade: Sē Audio
I'll chime in regards to the PS-1 synergy with the Pico. I had brought my iMod/Pico combo with me to a family late X-Mas dinner and took my RS-1s for my nephew to try out. He has a set of SR80s and was curious about how much better the RS-1s would sound. I had not listened to my Grados out of my Pico at that point. So once my wife and I got home I decided to give it a listen. Whoa! Very nice combination indeed! Who says Grados are tube only. I don't listen to my RS-1s all that often but that listening session from the Pico made me fall in love all over again and they've been my primary can for the past couple of days.
I still have yet to do any extensive comparisons between my Hornet M and the Pico but in a nutshell: the Pico presents a bigger soundstage and is more transparent to my ears. For those who don't know Ray's sound, I'll bet you dollar to donuts that you will hear it if you go from the Pico to a Hornet or Predator. I hope to compare the two more closely soon since I plan on selling one of them. I really don't need two portable amps.
jamato8,
They both had only a few hours on them, but even at that point the difference was obvious to my ears!
__________________ HOME/PORTABLE SOURCE: Apple 16Gb iPhone, IPod Video 30Gb CABLES: My own custom built Cardas LOD for iPhone AMP: Qables iQube IEM: Ultimate Ears UE-11's
From the reading I have done the Pico appears to sound excellent out of the box but I know from experience the Predator does not. It takes some time to blossom and the sound you hear at first is no where as good as it will be.
__________________
John aka Jam and Jama Photo gallery at:www.pbase.com/jamato8
The one constant in life is change, so will that change?
Feel with your own heart, see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears. Sand is sand no matter where it is found. Listening to: The Greatful Dead, The Closing of Winterland 1978, Fillmore West 1969, Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen Amps I am currently listening with: RSA B-51, iBasso T4, SR 71A, new Xin Reference, Lisa III with Lab Power supply Favorite headphone: Ultrasone Ed. 9 #1010 Portable amp ratings: *1. SR-71A *2. iBasso D3 *2b RSA Predator *3. Xin Micro *5 iBasso P3 *5b. Mini IV *6. D1 iBasso upgraded amp *6b. iBasso P2 (upgraded opamps) *8. C & C Box (good decay, tilted up high frequency, slightly synthetic) *9 iBasso T1 *10. iBasso T2 *11. XTRA X-1 (warm not neutral, very musical) *12. LD M+ These amps are enjoyable to listen to and present a slightly different interpretation of the musical signal. Portable monitor ratings: *1. PortaPros, KSC35 (modified-a great value) *2. Amadana P-117 bamboo *3. UM2 (respond to top quality amplification but I don't enjoy their sound) *4. OVC 8+ Source: iRiver H130,140, D303 optical out, D-EJ955, D-EJ1000, D-EJ2000, 25s, 25, D-303, D-777 and others (optical out if available) Digital Conversion: Altoid tin Monica Dac I, Altoid tin Monica II Asynchronous Reclocking Dac. Headphone Amplifiers: iBasso D1, IV Micro, IV Mini, Xin Reference, SM3B, SuperMacro V LE, SM3 V6 Xin (IV all switches), XRTA X-1, LD Micro +, LD Micro Tube, C&C Box, iBasso P1, P2, D1, D2, Woo 3 Modified-Siemens 6922 driver, 7236 power tube, Woo 6 Modified Pseudo dual PS - Headphones: Ultra Ed. 9, HD650, Ultrasone 750, HFI780, PortaPro modified, KSC35, Equation RP-21, Westone UM2
I have a three-year-old son, and a two-year-old daughter. Both are wild.
They say with kids you don't have vacation...only a change of venue.
Yep, hold them close while you can. Nothing in the world matches your lovely children, nothing.
__________________
John aka Jam and Jama Photo gallery at:www.pbase.com/jamato8
The one constant in life is change, so will that change?
Feel with your own heart, see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears. Sand is sand no matter where it is found. Listening to: The Greatful Dead, The Closing of Winterland 1978, Fillmore West 1969, Lucinda Williams, Leonard Cohen Amps I am currently listening with: RSA B-51, iBasso T4, SR 71A, new Xin Reference, Lisa III with Lab Power supply Favorite headphone: Ultrasone Ed. 9 #1010 Portable amp ratings: *1. SR-71A *2. iBasso D3 *2b RSA Predator *3. Xin Micro *5 iBasso P3 *5b. Mini IV *6. D1 iBasso upgraded amp *6b. iBasso P2 (upgraded opamps) *8. C & C Box (good decay, tilted up high frequency, slightly synthetic) *9 iBasso T1 *10. iBasso T2 *11. XTRA X-1 (warm not neutral, very musical) *12. LD M+ These amps are enjoyable to listen to and present a slightly different interpretation of the musical signal. Portable monitor ratings: *1. PortaPros, KSC35 (modified-a great value) *2. Amadana P-117 bamboo *3. UM2 (respond to top quality amplification but I don't enjoy their sound) *4. OVC 8+ Source: iRiver H130,140, D303 optical out, D-EJ955, D-EJ1000, D-EJ2000, 25s, 25, D-303, D-777 and others (optical out if available) Digital Conversion: Altoid tin Monica Dac I, Altoid tin Monica II Asynchronous Reclocking Dac. Headphone Amplifiers: iBasso D1, IV Micro, IV Mini, Xin Reference, SM3B, SuperMacro V LE, SM3 V6 Xin (IV all switches), XRTA X-1, LD Micro +, LD Micro Tube, C&C Box, iBasso P1, P2, D1, D2, Woo 3 Modified-Siemens 6922 driver, 7236 power tube, Woo 6 Modified Pseudo dual PS - Headphones: Ultra Ed. 9, HD650, Ultrasone 750, HFI780, PortaPro modified, KSC35, Equation RP-21, Westone UM2
I have not heard the Predator yet but I am a big fan of the RSA house sound. I heard the Pico at the last meet I went to and could only afford to buy one or the other and went with the one I had already heard. I have since sold my Hornet so I could probably by a Predator but I think I am going to have my PS-1's recabled instead. I'm super content with the Pico.
The Benchmark DAC1 did not really wow me and was returned. I would say that the Picos DAC could compete very well with the quality and resolution of the DAC1 but to my ears has a better synergy with the internal amp and headphones I have used with it which is why I am so pleased with it. The Pico is just so resolving but it is still very musical (foot-tapping fun). That was the issue I had with the DAC1... it had to have my Lisa connected to it to add that extra mile. The Pico gets me close enough to what I liked about the Lisa, DAC1 and Hornet to be happy with it alone. Add to that the long battery and the fact I can fit it into my pocket and the convenience outweighs anything that I might about the DAC1 or Lisa.
Please don't confuse my statements and get the impression that I am saying the Pico is on the same level as the Lisa and DAC1, I know they are both able to do many things better but for me the Pico gets close enough to the qualities that I was hearing from those amps/dacs that I am not missing the extra $1300 involved in a more home based solution.
I think synergy is the key ingredient in this pursuit we are all on for the ultimate eargasim and I feel I have found the synergy for my PS-1 and UE-11's that puts a big Texas grin on my face.
Wake,
Thanks for directly answering my questions and for your excellently communicated impressions.
Linear Mode
