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| Headphone Amps (full-size) Discussion of desktop headphone amps. |
09-23-2007, 08:25 PM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Macau
Posts: 528
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Skylab, any plan to get a 6G iPod? I want to know how it sounds different with 5G.
__________________
Headphone: Beyerdynamic DT880/250(05), Sennheiser HD800, HD650, HD380Pro, HD25-1II, Denon D5000, D7000, AKG K701, Grado SR225, Darth Beyer DT770/80, Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9, Shure SRH840
IEM: Shure E4C, Shure E500PTH, UE Super.fi 5 Pro, Westone UM2, UE Triple.fi 10 Pro (Lune Silver recabled), Westone 3
Amplifier: Corda Symphony-Analog, Xenos X1HA-EPC, RSA Tomahawk, RSA P-51 Mustang, RSA Shadow, Corda MOVE, iQube v1, TriadAudio LISA III Standard (Limited Edition), Diablo, PICO w/DAC
Source: Corda StageDAC, Marantz CD7300, RME9632, iPod 5G 30G, iMod 5.5G 80G, Cowon S9 32G, PC thru USB, PICO DAC
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09-23-2007, 09:33 PM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posts: 304
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Great review of the Meier line up there Skylab !
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Main Rig: AYRE Acoustics CX-7e CDP -> Custom MAD Ear + Purist tube headphone amp -> Sennheiser HD600 re-cabled with Revelation Audio Lab cryo silver cable
Second Rig : ARCAM FMJ CD36 CDP -> Meier Arietta headphone amp -> Grado SR 80
Feedback : eBay
Feedback : Head-fi
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09-23-2007, 10:03 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: DC/VA
Posts: 1,678
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Thanks for the great overview/review!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skylab
Jan is probably never going to loan me anything again after he reads this, but I felt that the Arietta was really quite close to the Cantate in terms of performance .... my recommendation to someone looking at Meier amps will be that you should either stretch your budget and go for the Opera, or save some dough and go for the Arietta.
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Jan should be happy either way because, for people like me and based on your review, we'll just save up for the Opera instead of buying the cheaper Arietta!
--Chris
__________________
Home: iMac 20" 2.4/4/320 -> Meier Corda Headfive -> AKG K701 (Apple Lossless)
Portable: 12" PowerBook 1.5/1.25/80 -> Ety fh2
Ultra Portable: iPhone 3G White 16GB -> Ety hf2 (AAC 192kbps)
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09-24-2007, 12:31 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Earth
Posts: 1,602
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hempcamp
Thanks for the great overview/review!
Jan should be happy either way because, for people like me and based on your review, we'll just save up for the Opera instead of buying the cheaper Arietta!
--Chris
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OMG! I agree, that's exactly what I'm doing too. I've ditched my plans to get the Cantate and thought about getting the Arieta, but I've come to my senses and I've decided to just save up for the Opera instead! 
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09-24-2007, 02:26 AM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 532
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Skylab,
1st, thanks for all the work in the comparo.
Out of curiosity I was wondering if you level matched for the comparisons.
I know that is a PITA but some say it can be done even with headphones and an SPL.
I am not even impyling that is necessary but I am curious as one more data point in the review.
Thanks again for a great review.
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09-24-2007, 02:45 AM
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Headphoneus Supremus:
Reviewerus Prolificus
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 11,430
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Yes, as it says in the review, I used an SPL meter to match levels to within 1 db.
__________________
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the volume of PM's I have been receiving in connection with my reviews, I no longer have the time to answer PM's from people with zero posts. Please read head-fi first before asking questions.
Team GO-U-NORTHWESTERN
Pics: Main Home Rig; Bedside Rig; Office Rig; Portable Rig;
Headphones: JVC HP-DX1000, HA-RX900; Headphile Deep Cup Darth Beyers VXD3,VXD4; Beyerdynamic DT990/600 (Manufaktur) DT770/600 (Manufaktur), DT880/600 Balanced (Manufaktur); HiFi-Man HE-2 Planar Magnetic; Sennheiser PXC-350; Shure SRH840
Home amps: Ray Samuels Audio Stealth (Mullard ECC32/CV4003); Decware Zen CSP-2 (Amperex BB 6DJ8/Sophia Princess 274B); Darkvoice 337 (GEC 6AS7G's/Tung-Sol mesh plate 6SJ7GTs); Wheatfield Audio HA-2 (Mullard ECC32/GEC 6AS7G/GEC U52); Ming-Da MC84-C 07 (Mullard CV4004/EL84/EM87); Audiotailor Jade (GEC 6AS7G/Sylvania 5751); J. Sound Lab Headphone (Mullard 12AT7); Audio-GD Phoenix; Musical Paradise MP-301 (Ken-Rad 6V6GT/Mullard 6AU6)
Portable Amps: Ray Samuels Audio P-51 Mustang; Decware ZenHead; Qables iQube
Sources: Denon DP59L table + Clearaudio Maestro Wood / VPI Scoutmaster + Benz Micro Wood L2 > Audio Electronics PH-1 DJH Phono Preamp; Music Hall 25.2 DAC; Denon DVD-5900;Red Wine Audio iMod iPod (Apple Lossless) & ALO VCap dock; Sony SCD-555ES SACD player
Loudspeaker system: Krell KAV250 Preamp>Sunfire Signature II Power amp > B&W Nautilus 800 Signatures + Velodyne FSR-1500/Martin Logan Descent
Tube testers: B&K Dyna-quick 650 & Dyna-Jet 606
Head-fi feedback
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09-24-2007, 03:31 AM
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1000+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Oahu
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i was also wondering, how much better is the Opera compared to the Lisa III? 
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09-24-2007, 04:22 AM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 532
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skylab
Yes, as it says in the review, I used an SPL meter to match levels to within 1 db.
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oops,
sorry I missed that, I should read more carefully
Thanks again for all the work.
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09-24-2007, 05:27 AM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Philippines
Posts: 81
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricey20
i was also wondering, how much better is the Opera compared to the Lisa III? |
I believe its quite far based on Skylab's comparison of the Cantante and the Opera:
"The Opera, to me, was a SIGNIFICANT step up over the Cantate.."
and Cantante to the Aria:
"The Cantate does meaningfully outperform the Aria..."
and the Aria to the Lisa 3:
"...and I felt the Aria was slightly better in almost every area, although the LisaIII was a little warmer overall, and it more than holds its own to this fine home amp."
And so by transitivity, the Opera is more than a significant step-up over the Lisa3. This is the solution that i derived in order to hold myself back from buying the currently more popular Lisa 3 because i know i want the OPERA! 
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09-24-2007, 05:49 AM
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Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 95
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Thanks Skylab, for another excellent review. You never cease to amaze. You're one of the reasons I joined this forum. Keep up the good work.
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09-24-2007, 06:29 AM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Silicon Valley
Posts: 563
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AnaKinDV8
I believe its quite far based on Skylab's comparison of the Cantante and the Opera:
"The Opera, to me, was a SIGNIFICANT step up over the Cantate.."
and Cantante to the Aria:
"The Cantate does meaningfully outperform the Aria..."
and the Aria to the Lisa 3:
"...and I felt the Aria was slightly better in almost every area, although the LisaIII was a little warmer overall, and it more than holds its own to this fine home amp."
And so by transitivity, the Opera is more than a significant step-up over the Lisa3. This is the solution that i derived in order to hold myself back from buying the currently more popular Lisa 3 because i know i want the OPERA! |
The opera is a great amp...i actually compared it to the built-in amp on my dac1 and I agree to some of the folks who had the same setup that the opera is a way better amp than the dac1 amp....
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Itouch32gb -> SE530/SA6
My Head-Fi feedback here:
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09-24-2007, 08:21 AM
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100+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posts: 304
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spunkmeyer
Thanks Skylab, for another excellent review. You never cease to amaze. You're one of the reasons I joined this forum. Keep up the good work.
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X 2 Same goes for me too !
I have some time off work soon and I hope to be able to post my review of the Meier Cantate vs MAD Ear Purist HD1
__________________
Main Rig: AYRE Acoustics CX-7e CDP -> Custom MAD Ear + Purist tube headphone amp -> Sennheiser HD600 re-cabled with Revelation Audio Lab cryo silver cable
Second Rig : ARCAM FMJ CD36 CDP -> Meier Arietta headphone amp -> Grado SR 80
Feedback : eBay
Feedback : Head-fi
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09-24-2007, 11:06 AM
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500+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Right between my ears
Posts: 786
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pianomav
The opera is a great amp...i actually compared it to the built-in amp on my dac1 and I agree to some of the folks who had the same setup that the opera is a way better amp than the dac1 amp....
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I'll like to see a review of Cantate DAC vs other DAC 
__________________
Grado RS-1, sr60,
Corda Cantate Low Gain Setting, Total Bithead
Before: AKG 240 K Monitor 80's, HD 414 SL, Koss Porta Pro, Sony MDR-V700, Sony Noise Canceling MDR-NC6
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09-24-2007, 11:34 AM
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1000+ Head-Fi'er
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Oahu
Posts: 1,274
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Hmm did Skylab say the part about the Aria to the Lisa III in this thread or in a different one? Dont think I saw it so might have missed it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnaKinDV8
I believe its quite far based on Skylab's comparison of the Cantante and the Opera:
"The Opera, to me, was a SIGNIFICANT step up over the Cantate.."
and Cantante to the Aria:
"The Cantate does meaningfully outperform the Aria..."
and the Aria to the Lisa 3:
"...and I felt the Aria was slightly better in almost every area, although the LisaIII was a little warmer overall, and it more than holds its own to this fine home amp."
And so by transitivity, the Opera is more than a significant step-up over the Lisa3. This is the solution that i derived in order to hold myself back from buying the currently more popular Lisa 3 because i know i want the OPERA! |
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09-24-2007, 02:25 PM
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Headphoneus Supremus:
Reviewerus Prolificus
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Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 11,430
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Thanks for all the kind words, folks!
The direct comparison of the Cantate and the Lisa will come next weekend, I hope (depending on other obligations). But as AnakinDV8 surmised, my initial thoughts are that the Cantate is the better sounding amp, all other things being equal (which they are not - Cantate with built-in DAC, Lisa III battery-powered, etc.).
__________________
PLEASE NOTE: Due to the volume of PM's I have been receiving in connection with my reviews, I no longer have the time to answer PM's from people with zero posts. Please read head-fi first before asking questions.
Team GO-U-NORTHWESTERN
Pics: Main Home Rig; Bedside Rig; Office Rig; Portable Rig;
Headphones: JVC HP-DX1000, HA-RX900; Headphile Deep Cup Darth Beyers VXD3,VXD4; Beyerdynamic DT990/600 (Manufaktur) DT770/600 (Manufaktur), DT880/600 Balanced (Manufaktur); HiFi-Man HE-2 Planar Magnetic; Sennheiser PXC-350; Shure SRH840
Home amps: Ray Samuels Audio Stealth (Mullard ECC32/CV4003); Decware Zen CSP-2 (Amperex BB 6DJ8/Sophia Princess 274B); Darkvoice 337 (GEC 6AS7G's/Tung-Sol mesh plate 6SJ7GTs); Wheatfield Audio HA-2 (Mullard ECC32/GEC 6AS7G/GEC U52); Ming-Da MC84-C 07 (Mullard CV4004/EL84/EM87); Audiotailor Jade (GEC 6AS7G/Sylvania 5751); J. Sound Lab Headphone (Mullard 12AT7); Audio-GD Phoenix; Musical Paradise MP-301 (Ken-Rad 6V6GT/Mullard 6AU6)
Portable Amps: Ray Samuels Audio P-51 Mustang; Decware ZenHead; Qables iQube
Sources: Denon DP59L table + Clearaudio Maestro Wood / VPI Scoutmaster + Benz Micro Wood L2 > Audio Electronics PH-1 DJH Phono Preamp; Music Hall 25.2 DAC; Denon DVD-5900;Red Wine Audio iMod iPod (Apple Lossless) & ALO VCap dock; Sony SCD-555ES SACD player
Loudspeaker system: Krell KAV250 Preamp>Sunfire Signature II Power amp > B&W Nautilus 800 Signatures + Velodyne FSR-1500/Martin Logan Descent
Tube testers: B&K Dyna-quick 650 & Dyna-Jet 606
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