Upgrading from PA2V2: what options should I consider? - Page 2

Thanks. Sorry for showing my huge amount of ignorance, but at this page there are different varieties of the LT1364: LT1364CS8#PBF, LT1364CN8#PBF, LT1364CS8#TR, LT1364CS8#TRPBF and LT1364CS8. Which one would I have to get? LT1364CS8, I'm assuming.

EDIT: Oh, you've already answered that in your review thread. Forgive me.

Hey guys. I'm down to two portable amp options, and would like some help to make the final decision. The options are:

a) The Meier Audio Corda Headsix, which I can get for around $100 used, or
b) The Little Dot MK I, which I can get for $119 new.

Both got very positive reviews, although the Headsix is more well-know and consequently has more feedback. The MK 1 sports the advantage of swappable op-amps.

But one thing that is drawing me towards the Headsix is that in this post dfkt has evaluated it as a very good match for the D2. It seems that the Headsix does exactly what I'm in need of: it alleviates the treble harshness that is the mark of D2's sound signature. dfkt's own RMAA tests suggest the latter is indeed true (see the frequency response graph). So my decision comes down to the answer to this question: when matched with the LT1364 op-amp, is it likely that the Little Dot MK1 will also alleviate the treble harshness of the D2?

Waiting for your commentaries. Penchum?

Penchum:

I believe the harshness is in the upper frequencies, although in some music even the vocals (which I believe are more in the mid-high area, correct?) can sound overly sharp, depending on how acute the singer's voice is.

I did try using the EQ, and it fixes it at the cost of making the sound somewhat muddy and distant, which is not ideal. The D2's eq is divided into 5 bands, with the option of changing the frequency range of each and even "widening" it so the transition is smoother, with each band affecting also the one next to it. See my current settings below:

Band 1: 80 Hz (unchanged), 0 gain
Band 2: 230 Hz (unchanged), 0 gain
Band 3: 1.4 kHz (originally 850 Hz), +1 gain [to compensate for at least part of the muddiness, I suppose]
Band 4: 4.1 kHz (originally 2.4 KHz), -6 gain [I found that lowering the gain of this band will achieve the largest effect in correcting the harshness]
Band 5: 9 kHZ (originally: 11.7 kHz), -3 gain [I found that this will also affect the harshness, but not so much as band 4]

I realize the above is pretty aggressive, but D2's harshness gets almost painful sometimes.

QQQ:

I'm using fully charged NiMH rechargeable batteries. My interconnection is a cheap but functional OFC cable. Niquel-plated metal connectors at both ends. No contact problems.

Yes, I've tested it with Shure E2Cs as well. It's a known characteristic of the D2, really, because I've seen some other people trying to compensate for it (dfkt, for example). I guess a lot of folks don't like the sound signature precisely because of that harshness, although complaints go more towards lack of bass, something that happens when you use low impedance phones with the player.

It's not a matter of life and death, really. I can get the MK I, change the op-amp and see if it matches the D2 well. If it doesn't, I'll sell it and get the Headsix. Or even tweak D2's eq to reduce the harshness without losing much of the definition in mid-high and high, and then get a DAC with coaxial input to use with my nice M-Audio 2496 sound card, connect the MK I to the DAC and have it as an amp for both desktop and portable use.

It makes sense. Coincidently I do have another source: an iPod 5G, rockboxed and with a decent line out dock. The Cowon D2 will be used mostly for classical music, really, and for that genre I'm yet to be bothered by D2's harshness. I think it fares very well with classical, but is not so good for reproducing acute vocals surrounded by loud rock music, for instance.

Also, the harshness problem is not a HUGE issue like I make it sound it is. I think the D2 is a fairly nice source overall. When compared to the iPod, it can natively provide a lot more clarity, detail and sound staging. The eq is very powerful, so I'm sure the deficiencies can be corrected if I spend a little more time with it. Not everyone's cup of tea, I guess, but I'm growing to like it. Gained a fair amount of knowledge about sound in the process.

Regarding the Shure E2C, I did use it in combination with the Cowon D2, but it was only for a short while and I really didn't make any effort to analyze what I was getting. The E2C's sound never impressed me, really. I say this because it is very possible that with the D2 the headphone choice still plays a large role, as in other players. I do believe the right headphones can compensate for D2's brightness.

I've recently read commentaries about the PK1s needing a lot of burn-in, because they are considered to be "bright" at the start. This could be part of the problem I've been having.

I think I'll follow your advice and get the MK 1 + LT1364 as a solution with potential for being definitive or at least long lasting. There's always the option of selling, as I said.

Anyway, thanks a lot for all your effort in helping me. I really do appreciate it.

Low quality? Many people would disagree with that statement. Have you ever heard it?

As a matter of fact the D2 has a high quality Wolfson WM8985G DAC. I realize that is not all that defines a player's quality of implementation, of course, but it gives you a pretty good indication of what kind of parts Cowon uses in their daps.

The disagreement here is because a lot of people don't appreciate D2's sound signature, which is obviously prone to clarity, instrument separation, good mid to high frequency definition, as opposed to mellowness, warmth, extended bass. This is not just hearsay; I've had the experience of listening to the device with a couple different equipment configurations. Another thing that makes people view the D2 as low quality sounding is the bass roll-off it has with low impedance phones. But that's a problem with a lot of battery powered portable devices, not just the D2, and it can be fixed by using an adapter to take the impedance to 48 ohms or above.

I guess detail instead of mellowness is a compromise that was taken upon because the player offers more advanced equalization options. The harsh highs I mention are really dependent on what kind of equipment you use with the D2, and not just on the player itself. Harshness is not a general complaint of Cowon D2 users, and it can be corrected by more than one way.

Not my kind of thing, really. I did look into the P2 because of the form factor looking appealing from the standpoint of portability, but I can't imagine it sounding better than the Headsix or the Little Dot MK I. And I'm probably better off with something made to last. The MK I's op-amp rolling capability will ensure I can tweak the amp's sound signature to match the equipment I may acquire in the future.