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Review of the Little-Dot MKII Tube Headphone Amp/Pre-Amp - Page 2

post #16 of 438
1/13/08 at 4:29am
How does this MKII compared to your MKIVSE? "_"
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post #17 of 438
1/13/08 at 8:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penchum View Post
Sorry man, I was desperate! I'll keep you in mind and if I end up with extras, I'll work a deal with you. I figured this was going to happen eventually!
Great please do!! Been sweating on a fresh set for awhile. In the mean time the RCA 6AK5 are on the way. Us head-fier are all alike. If not enjoying our set up, we seek things to improve them.
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post #18 of 438
1/13/08 at 8:35am
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Originally Posted by Capunk View Post
How does this MKII compared to your MKIVSE? "_"
I'm interested in that aspect too...
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post #19 of 438
1/13/08 at 8:56am
wow, i've said it once before but you were made for review writing man!

bloody good job =) although I couldn't give a rat's about the amp people can learn a thing or two from your writing style
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post #20 of 438
1/13/08 at 11:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by d-cee View Post
wow, i've said it once before but you were made for review writing man!

bloody good job =) although I couldn't give a rat's about the amp people can learn a thing or two from your writing style
Thanks d-cee! Coming from you, it means a lot to me.
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post #21 of 438
1/13/08 at 12:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Capunk View Post
How does this MKII compared to your MKIVSE? "_"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seba View Post
I'm interested in that aspect too...
Well, we have to remember what we are talking about here. Entry level model vs top of the line model, same company. Its not even a fair comparison. Even the MKIII is going to beat out the MKII on a sunny day. This is as it should be. However, the MKII represents a higher level of quality (at entry level) in all aspects, for the same price point. This should have the competition scrambling to figure out what the heck just happened! I can easily see the MKII beating or matching most of the competition's second line units, at half the cost or better.

This is what happens when people (even in China) are empowered to be creative and they infuse quality into a brand new product line, from top to bottom.
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post #22 of 438
1/13/08 at 12:20pm
So you do get noticeable improvement with MKII vs. MKIV SE?
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post #23 of 438
1/13/08 at 12:40pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seba View Post
So you do get noticeable improvement with MKII vs. MKIV SE?
If you mean "is there a substantial difference between the MKII and MKIVse"?
You bet there is. Several levels higher! The MKIVse is a true OTL amp design filled with the best 1% componants on the market. It directly competes with headphone amps costing $800 and higher. It is worth twice what they ask for it. It is the bomb! Match up the MKIVse to a clean quality source and you will get goose bumps everytime you listen to it.
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post #24 of 438
1/13/08 at 1:08pm
Hmmm... Can't wait to hear my Zero and MKIV SE. I'm glad that I bought OPA627's and DY2000 so I can adjust the sound coming from Zero.
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post #25 of 438
1/13/08 at 6:24pm
Wow, looks like this amp is under £110 delivered to my door (in the UK). That's very good value. Still think I'll go with the Figaro for my first amp though...
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post #26 of 438
1/13/08 at 9:03pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by spookygonk View Post
Wow, looks like this amp is under £110 delivered to my door (in the UK). That's very good value. Still think I'll go with the Figaro for my first amp though...
Well, thats ok. I haven't heard the Figaro, so I shouldn't comment much. I was surprised that you can't see the two tubes because they are inside the amp! Have a good one!!
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post #27 of 438
1/13/08 at 10:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penchum View Post
Well, we have to remember what we are talking about here. Entry level model vs top of the line model, same company. Its not even a fair comparison. Even the MKIII is going to beat out the MKII on a sunny day. This is as it should be. However, the MKII represents a higher level of quality (at entry level) in all aspects, for the same price point. This should have the competition scrambling to figure out what the heck just happened! I can easily see the MKII beating or matching most of the competition's second line units, at half the cost or better.

This is what happens when people (even in China) are empowered to be creative and they infuse quality into a brand new product line, from top to bottom.
Actually, I was asking this question because I heard LD 2++ has a unique sound signature, which my friend *bozz_Keren* called "Very Warm Lushy Tubey Sound", and he himself own MKIV but the amp doesn't produce that kind of sonic characteristic.

I'm personally interested to get the old LD 2++, just to give it a try, what "Tubey" sound should be. I tried Darkvoice 336i and Millet Hybrid Max, but they just sound normal as solid state amp? and based on my conversation with my friend, LD MKIV is very similar to SS amp as well.

So I wonder this MKII still borrowing the lush tubey sound that previously produced by it's predecessors, LD 2+.
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post #28 of 438
1/14/08 at 12:43am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Capunk View Post
Actually, I was asking this question because I heard LD 2++ has a unique sound signature, which my friend *bozz_Keren* called "Very Warm Lushy Tubey Sound", and he himself own MKIV but the amp doesn't produce that kind of sonic characteristic.

I'm personally interested to get the old LD 2++, just to give it a try, what "Tubey" sound should be. I tried Darkvoice 336i and Millet Hybrid Max, but they just sound normal as solid state amp? and based on my conversation with my friend, LD MKIV is very similar to SS amp as well.

So I wonder this MKII still borrowing the lush tubey sound that previously produced by it's predecessors, LD 2+.
I see. If you had asked it this way, I would have picked up on what you were looking for. Here is a quote from my review:

"I got out my spare Mullard 6CQ6 (EF92) NOS driver tubes and a pair of Russian 6N6P “Soyuz” NOS power tubes. This set levels the playing field. My LDII++ has Russian 6C19pi NOS power tubes and Mullard M8161 (EF92) NOS driver tubes. All of these tubes have been previously “matured” and I can start listening immediately. This is as close as the MKII gets to sounding like the older LDII++. They sound so close to each other that only slight differences in sound signature exist between the two."

The configuration above was as close as I could get with the tubes I had. It did indeed sound extremely close to that same "Lush, Tubey Sound" that LDII++ owners like myself have been spoiled with.

To be clear though, that sound signature the LDII++ has is so unique, it is almost a freak of nature. More expensive amps, better components, different brands, tons of tubes and whatever a person can get there hands on, will not reproduce that unique sound. Lush, Tubey Sound comes from added distortion and the combination is just perfect for the LDII++ to blow peoples minds. The MKII is so close, I'm not sure that many would hear the difference.
This is what makes the MKII special. It honors the old sound almost perfect, and embraces the newer sound (EF95) with it's own special signature.

Have a good one!!!
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post #29 of 438
1/14/08 at 1:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Capunk View Post
Actually, I was asking this question because I heard LD 2++ has a unique sound signature, which my friend *bozz_Keren* called "Very Warm Lushy Tubey Sound", and he himself own MKIV but the amp doesn't produce that kind of sonic characteristic.

I'm personally interested to get the old LD 2++, just to give it a try, what "Tubey" sound should be. I tried Darkvoice 336i and Millet Hybrid Max, but they just sound normal as solid state amp? and based on my conversation with my friend, LD MKIV is very similar to SS amp as well.

So I wonder this MKII still borrowing the lush tubey sound that previously produced by it's predecessors, LD 2+.
I think the sonic characteristics has a lot to do with the tube compliments that you're using on the amp. The discontinued LDII+ for instance uses the 4P1S tube which is a directly heated triode while the 6C19Pi on the LDII++ is indirectly heated which accounts for some of the sonic differences.

That said, I expect the MKII to sound simiar to the LDII++ if the EF92 family of tubes were used.
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post #30 of 438
1/14/08 at 4:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Penchum View Post
Well, thats ok. I haven't heard the Figaro, so I shouldn't comment much. I was surprised that you can't see the two tubes because they are inside the amp! Have a good one!!
Penchum, that surprised me about the Figaro also!! One of the joys of owning a tube amp is watching those puppies glow while you are in sonic heaven!

But...to each his own.
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