Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Review of Little-Dot MKIVse
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Review of Little-Dot MKIVse - Page 2

post #16 of 833
11/10/07 at 6:20am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HK_sends View Post
Skylab, you should definitely try the MK IV SE and the MK I. LD keeps getting better. My MK IV SE has been burning in (along with my K-701s) at 50% volume for over 50 hours. Even with the stock tubes, I hear a well balanced sound including a good bass (not punchy or overwhelming) presence, even with the AKGs.

But 50 hours of the Lord of the Rings soundtracks (the first two being the complete recordings) can drive you crazy being in the same room (no, I wasn't wearing the headphones).

-HK sends
Skylab,
I know you have been mostly dealing with portable goodies, but it might be refreshing to those wanting (looking) for desktop goodies to hear your impressions as well. What do you think? X2 what -HK sends.
Reply

Gear mentioned in this thread:

post #17 of 833
11/10/07 at 9:57am
Thanks for the kind words, but work commitments prevent me from taking on a massive project like that. In addition, it would be far too costly for me to buy a whole bunch of desktop amps, and so I would have to try to secure review samples from their makers, and I am nor so sure they would want to do that.
Reply
post #18 of 833
11/10/07 at 11:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skylab View Post
Thanks for the kind words, but work commitments prevent me from taking on a massive project like that. In addition, it would be far too costly for me to buy a whole bunch of desktop amps, and so I would have to try to secure review samples from their makers, and I am nor so sure they would want to do that.
Why don't you try the new LD Mk I portable? That should be in your reach... And it's one very interesting new portable amp - a potential class champion.
Reply
post #19 of 833
11/25/07 at 10:02am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mulo View Post
Why don't you try the new LD Mk I portable? That should be in your reach... And it's one very interesting new portable amp - a potential class champion.
Mulo, How long have you had yours? Could you write a review for us? I'm very curious about the MK1. Very nice looking indeed! I'd love it if it could drive more expensive headphones. What do you think?
Reply
post #20 of 833
11/26/07 at 5:57am
Hi
i just received MKIV last week, it's good amp, but i feel getting less tubey sound, i'm kinda hoping it will be lush like LD2++, does the tube responsible for this?
Reply
post #21 of 833
11/26/07 at 8:05am
How does the MKIV compare to the LDII++? Is it worth the increase in cost to a newbie?
Reply
post #22 of 833
11/26/07 at 1:47pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Danika k View Post
How does the MKIV compare to the LDII++? Is it worth the increase in cost to a newbie?
Hi! The MKIVse is far more powerful and in a whole different quality sound level compared to the LDII++, and it is worth every penny. Now, having said that, you must understand that the second part of your question is a tough call. Since I don't know what source and headphones you have, I can't tell how you are approaching your audio goals. Many here want "newbies" to take a slow costly upgrade path. I don't condone this because it expends to much money while on the path to achieving your goals.

I would say to you, purchase what you can afford and don't look back. The LDII++ is no slouch and many fall in love with it permanently. I'd be glad to give you better advice if you could tell me what you already have and where you would like to be. PM me if info is sensitive and not good for posting here.

Dave McLaughlin
Reply
post #23 of 833
11/26/07 at 2:58pm
Tx for the review Dave!

I'm very interested in this amp but I read elsewhere that it was lacking bass impact... That bothers me a lot, as I'd like to pair it with my Alessandro MS-Pro and gain some punch...
Reply
post #24 of 833
11/26/07 at 8:40pm
MKIV didn't add much low in my setup, with stock tubes that is
Reply
post #25 of 833
11/26/07 at 9:04pm
I would be curious if there are differences in sound between the MkIV and the MkIV SE. That is, how does the pre-amp section influence the rest of the amp ?

Also, I would be curious if there are big differences between the III and the IV. Allright, more power, more refined but is the IV clearly better, more transparent, dynamic, rich or full than the III ? Also do they share the same sound signature ?
Reply
post #26 of 833
11/27/07 at 2:02am
I recently had the opportunity to test the MK IV SE (which I own) against the MK III. I didn't have the MK III long enough to do any extensive testing, but I did manage to sneak a few listening sessions. Testing was done using a CA 640c and a CA 840c and AKG K701 headphones.

I would describe the MK III as warmer sounding, but with less bass and overall headroom than the MK IV SE. I suspect that most audiophiles on this forum would far prefer the MK IV SE, as it sounds more reference-like while still retaining a nice tube sound signature.

With a mid-fi source such as the CA 640c, there was not a huge difference between the two amps. But with the CA 840c, the MK IV SE sounded far better than the MK III.

All in all, I was very impressed with these two amps. The MK III seems like a good deal at $199 plus shipping, but if it was my own money I prefer the MK IV SE at $399 plus shipping. The difference between the two models (with the right source) is a lot bigger than I thought.
Reply
post #27 of 833
11/27/07 at 2:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Von Soundcard View Post
I would be curious if there are differences in sound between the MkIV and the MkIV SE. That is, how does the pre-amp section influence the rest of the amp ?

Also, I would be curious if there are big differences between the III and the IV. Allright, more power, more refined but is the IV clearly better, more transparent, dynamic, rich or full than the III ? Also do they share the same sound signature ?
I am also curious. I would love to hear some feedback about the MK IV vs. the MK IV SE. But until then, I'll be enjoying my SE.

The difference between then III and the IV are substantial. Which model is right for you depends on your budget and your source. For mid-fi sources, I think the MK III is a better match, as it won't reveal as many of the "flaws" of the mid-fi source. For hi-fi sources, it's a no-brainer, the MK IV is far better.

Another comment that is often overlooked: on the little dot website, the MK III and the MK IV look very similar. But in fact their dimensions are different -- the MK IV is significantly larger. I think of them as two different classes of amps, but of course this distinction often gets lost in forum posts.
Reply
post #28 of 833
11/27/07 at 1:48pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the kind words guys. Your questions I find very interesting and some I might be able to help with. MKIVse owners: Once past 200hrs, pick up some tung-sol tubes. You are in for a treat once they burn-in. Bass for days!!

MKIII vs MKIVse. The MKIVse is a higher-end design (OTL) and has extremely high end components. That alone is the cost increase. If you have a really excellent source (or plan too), then the MKIVse is the right choice. Also, the pre-amp section of the MKIVse is every bit as excellent as the headphone section. I drove my Pioneer SPEC4 amp with it and it was real sweet!! The MKIII is made from high end components and has an excellent pre-amp section as well. It is NOT supposed to be the highest end amp. It is designed to give the average audiophile and his/her hi-fi equipment some serious enjoyment without breaking the bank.

MKIV vs MKIVse. I would have to defer this question to David Z at Little-Tube. He can describe the sonic differences between the two with ease.
I haven't tried the MKIV yet, so I'm lacking to answer this question.

Newbies and the LDII++ vs MKIVse. I own both. When I got the MKIVse, I just couldn't part with the LDII++. The LDII++ has a unique sound and improves dramatically with proper tubes. Having said that, the LDII++ is not in the same league as the MKIII or MKIV series. It doesn't have the power, headroom or fidelity to compete at that level. It shouldn't!! It is an extremely good buy right now because it is being discontinued. The MKIII is the new "sweet spot" for Little-Tube. For most newbies, I'd have to say, spend the extra $50 and get the MKIII. This will give you some absolute improvements and you might never want to replace it, later on down the road.

It is good to see users interested in Little-Tube. The default recommendation seems to be "run out and buy a DV". While I read very good things about DV units, they do come at a price. I'd rather see users get the best bang for their money and then enjoy their music. After all, it's all about the enjoyment of music. Doing so using the least amount of cash is icing on the audio cake!

Dave McLaughlin
Reply
post #29 of 833
11/27/07 at 2:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penchum View Post
Also, the pre-amp section of the MKIVse is every bit as excellent as the headphone section. I drove my Pioneer SPEC4 amp with it and it was real sweet!!
I've also been using my MK IV SE as a preamp with very favorable results. I have a question though. The pre-amp out is controlled by the main volume control knob. I don't know much about pre-amps, but how should this volume be set (when not plugging in headphones)?

If I turn the volume up too high, then the volume control on my downstream amp/speakers is too sensitive. Aside from downstream volume control, are there any guidelines for using higher or lower volume on a MK IV SE?
Reply
post #30 of 833
11/27/07 at 2:20pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ounkchicago View Post
I've also been using my MK IV SE as a preamp with very favorable results. I have a question though. The pre-amp out is controlled by the main volume control knob. I don't know much about pre-amps, but how should this volume be set (when not plugging in headphones)?

If I turn the volume up too high, then the volume control on my downstream amp/speakers is too sensitive. Aside from downstream volume control, are there any guidelines for using higher or lower volume on a MK IV SE?
All I did was source match the volume to match other components like my R2R or CD player. I figured that was safest. Just switch sources back and forth until you have the same volume set.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphone Amps (full-size)

Gear mentioned in this thread:

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Review of Little-Dot MKIVse