Practical Devices XM5 - Page 17

Mine arrived yesterday but I haven't installed them yet.

How about AD843KN??
That has so huge soundstage...(but also giving huge POP)

cool! is there a logical way to understand how these different op amps compare? Just looking at the list I would never have thought to try the 8065. I would have just naively assumed the 8610 was better because it was a higher number and higher price.

Yea same here I would have ordered the 8610 if I had not seen a post by someone who had both and said the 8065 blew it away. After a week still very very happy with the 8065's in my XM5. not a hint of distortion anywhere to be found.

I tried the AD8065 with BUF634 tonight. What swanlee said about, "Bass is stronger, sound stage is wider, it sounds smoother without any sacrifice in details, left and right separation is more precise." is about right.

However, the improvements are more subtle than they sound on paper. The first improvement I noticed was the extra space and refinement or smoother sound, without losing detail. I went back to stock opamps and then back to the new ones, and that was when I noticed the bass was closer to the 3MOVE and more powerful.

Now I am going to have to spend more time with the XM5 and 3MOVE comparing them more over the next couple of days.

ALSO, I tried the AD8397 with bypassed buffers and it was nice but not as good with IEM as with the HD600. I decided that wasn't for me. I also tried the AD743 and they sound is good but not better than the 8065, and the AD743 will clip sooner than the 8065 with the HD600 and loud music. I decided to stay with the AD8065.

Price does not tell much, from what i read about the AD8065 i wanted it pretty bad, then a friend talked about the LME49710, and i am so happy with it, i don't feel like dropping more on yet another chip that i might just store next to the AD8610 and OPA627 that all sound great in their way, but at the end, i always pop the LME49710 back in. So the AD8065 is on the backburner for now. At their $2.65 a piece i paid almost more for shipping than the LME49710 had it been the only item in the order

So where did you get the LME49710's? and did they come ready to put in the XM5 or did you have to solder them to a tiny pcb board to fit the XM5?

I bought them at digikey.com just like the AD711, OPA227, OPA627, LM6171 (LM6171 gives me headaches, or at least makes me irritable after a while), they all come in DIP-8 form which means they look just like your BUF634 and OPA134.
The legs are still angled out, lay one side against your desk, and tilt the body up until the legs on that side are perpenticular to the body, repeat for the other side, ready to drop into the sockets.

you can pretty much google for any opamp talk on other forums and then check on digikey if they have them in DIP-8, mind you the A versions are enough if there are A and B of a chip, the B does not improve on any specs that would affect audio applications.

Notes on Audio Op-Amps might be of interest

P.S. the LME49710 to me is like a OPA627 with a *hint* clearer vocals, if you compare prices, you see why this one wins by a mile

I'm still waiting for my 8065. Larry got his 4 days ago and we ordered the same day. What's up with that? I was hoping to have the weekend to compare. Bummer.

Good thing is it comes via usps, sp you still have a chance to hear it tomorrow.

i feel a sudden and irresistable urge to jump on this AD8065/BUF634P bandwagon

grab the lme49710 and the buf634p and the urges will subside

i just checked digikey for the BUF634P and it says out of stock. Do you know any reliable vendor that carries both? I'm totally up for trying the LME after hearing your feedback

I am really liking the XM5 with these AD8065/BUF634 in it. I am thinking it moved the amp up a notch. I am now using it with my iMod instead of the Pico. Wondering if maybe they should ship this way from now on. Hmmm...

Stop it! You're killing me ova here.