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Comparison Review: RSA Apache vs. Headamp GS-X - Page 3

post #31 of 60
7/3/07 at 2:16am
Ray's amps definitely have a classy look. What part is clear? I personally am not a fan of clear (Thankfully they changed the Singlepower Squarewave to a non-clear option). Silver is nice but I'd probably stick with Black.
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post #32 of 60
7/3/07 at 2:19am
i don't know if any of it is actually "clear." ray has described it that way sometimes though. at other times, as silver or white. all three mean what you see in the pics in the link, which is a sweet-looking amp.

edit: i don't mean to digress from the thread but thought the pictures would be of interest to people and they are in the MOT forum where there is less than heavy traffic.
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post #33 of 60
7/3/07 at 2:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ctemkin View Post
euclid,

A very informative review. One question I have which you can probably shed some light on is whether, if the source is single-ended, you noticed any difference between using balanced headphones and single-ended headphones. In other words, if the source is single-ended, is it or isn't it worth rewiring headphones so that they are balanced?

ctemkin
I've done this, and there is still a benefit to balanced operation from the HD650. what is unclear. this has nothing to do with rewiring, as much as having a very good (4 part) amp behind the headphone.
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post #34 of 60
7/3/07 at 2:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by vcoheda View Post
i don't know if any of it is actually "clear." ray has described it that way sometimes though. at other times, as silver or white.
According to Ray, "Clear" is the color code for the material when ordered from the provider.

David
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post #35 of 60
7/3/07 at 12:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ctemkin View Post
euclid,

A very informative review. One question I have which you can probably shed some light on is whether, if the source is single-ended, you noticed any difference between using balanced headphones and single-ended headphones. In other words, if the source is single-ended, is it or isn't it worth rewiring headphones so that they are balanced?

ctemkin
I'm glad you asked this question, since I'm curious about this as well. I just acquired a GS-1 and find that in conjunction with my DAC1-USB and K701s, I'm now in audio heaven. At this point, I'm quite satisfied using my K701s as designed (single-ended) and would have minimal interest in sending them away for recabling for balanced operation unless this appears to make a substantial (not just subtle) difference in sound quality, assuming of course that I also bought a balanced amp like the GS-X. I have heard that phones like the K701(and possibly Grados) seem to benefit less from balanced configuration as compared to HD650s - so maybe this is also a headphone related issue?
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post #36 of 60
7/3/07 at 12:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by granodemostasa View Post
I've done this, and there is still a benefit to balanced operation from the HD650. what is unclear. this has nothing to do with rewiring, as much as having a very good (4 part) amp behind the headphone.
I just saw your comment after posting, which partly answers my question in my previous post but still leaves uncertain whether K701s would also benefit- the GS-1 is a damn good amp, and I would need to experience a really significant benefit to going balanced before dropping a bundle on recabling and another amp. Do you or anyone else have experience comparing SE vs balanced (recabled) K701s?
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post #37 of 60
7/3/07 at 12:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by twsmith View Post
I just saw your comment after posting, which partly answers my question in my previous post but still leaves uncertain whether K701s would also benefit- the GS-1 is a damn good amp, and I would need to experience a really significant benefit to going balanced before dropping a bundle on recabling and another amp. Do you or anyone else have experience comparing SE vs balanced (recabled) K701s?

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...ced+headphones

plus other searches using "k701" and "balanced" should tell you want you want.
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post #38 of 60
7/3/07 at 12:44pm
I bought the silver Tomahawk and it too was listed as white/clear. I would describe it as the natural colour of aluminum rather than white.

Must say that Apache is beautiful but for myself I am hoping to buy the Ray Samuels HR-2 later this year. That should be plenty good enough for me.
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post #39 of 60
7/3/07 at 1:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by euclid View Post
thanks
No, thank you euclid!
Nice comparison.
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post #40 of 60
7/3/07 at 1:50pm
Thanks euclid for the fantastic review and the pics. Your system is really beautiful as well.
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post #41 of 60
7/3/07 at 6:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by vcoheda View Post
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...ced+headphones

plus other searches using "k701" and "balanced" should tell you want you want.
Thanks for the link. I think it helps a bit - at least at this point, I'm going to hold off on balancing my K701s since my impression is that the benefits are not nearly as dramatic as with the balanced Senn HD650s. (I didn't say there is no advantage - just that doing so is not worth it for me, at least right now.)
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post #42 of 60
7/3/07 at 7:42pm
Thread Starter 
thanks to everyone for the contributions and keep thing the thread active. i didnt get the opportunity to roll opamps but i am planning on it with my own retail Apache.

single ended vs balanced is alittle overblown on Headfi but *only* when comparing apples to apples. the top-teir amps are balanced and better than everything else even while single ended, likewise a CD player/DAC that has balanced output is probibly high end and sounds very decent single ended. hooking up either of these in place of an inferior component is already going to make a good increase in sound quality. so keeping things constant (including cables) and then switching from single ended to balanced is not going to make the overhyped improvment people may expect, but at that point all the good gear that is sounding so good single ended is already fully supported to be balanced, so even a small improvement is welcomed and worthwhile.

i really want to stress that these balanced amps are fine to use single ended and sound fantastic, my Apache/HR-2 comparison was compeltley single ended and there was a worthwile improvment just in the Apache amplifier, not to mention all the other features, it will give you 4 single ended inputs, 2 single ended preamp outs, and 2 single ended headphone outs.
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post #43 of 60
7/3/07 at 8:47pm
Thread Starter 
edit: nevermind, im not going to be appolgetic for my effort.. just dont jump to conclusions too easily b/c system matching and personal preference play a large part in audio.

ill post more impressions when the retail Apache arrives, im sure alot of other owners will too..
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post #44 of 60
7/3/07 at 9:15pm
no conclusions jumped to
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post #45 of 60
7/3/07 at 9:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by euclid View Post
now looking back i think all i did was a diservice to the Apache simply because its more expensive...
Don't worry Euclid. Most of the people here on head-fi are at the level where they will read what you have written and take it for face value (which is what you want), even if they don't specifically post in your thread.

And don't worry about the price factor either. There are a lot of people on this forum that are pressed for money. So when they read a comparison which sums up to "they are both good, just different", and they compare the prices of 3000$ to 1800$, it's very easy to see why the 1800$ starts to become very attractive for most.

I too am not financially set, and when I was looking for amps I KNEW that RSA amps had a very high price premium over other amps (usually at least twice as much). That's actually one of the reasons I have never owned a RSA amp, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't have liked one. So, when you see others saying things like "the GS-X just became a bargain"..... well... it's true. Take no offense to it, you did nothing wrong!
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