I have been enjoying trying out a Pico and Predator with my new MarkL Modded D5000 headphones. and they both sound as good as their reputations would suggest. But somehow I could not pick out which one I like better. I like the detail and clarity of the Pico although it is a bit bright with the modded D5000s which are very detailed headphones, and I like the tone and overall sound of the Predator but find I miss the extra level of detail I hear with the Pico.
The solution was simple: I use them both. Many have already noted how the DAC in the Pico is an overachiever and can be used a DAC/preamp to feed another amp. And others have suggested the amp section of the Predator is something special. So I have my Pico feeding the Predator and it seems to give the best of both worlds. Incredible detail with enough warmth and smoothness to not be overly bright. The sound just feels right and gives a nice illusion of a live event.
The difference between either amp alone and the combination is not like night and day. These are both very competent performers. But there is an added suchness to the music when I use them both. This might be in part aided by the Harmonic Technology Magic Link 2 interconnect I am using between them. Kind of nuts to be using an $800 interconnect with a $500 DAC and amp but that is what I have on hand. And a lot of the credit for the sound also goes to the MarkL phones. They are a revelation and a joy to listen to. But all other things being equal, I still like the combination of the Pico and Predator more than either one alone.
The solution was simple: I use them both. Many have already noted how the DAC in the Pico is an overachiever and can be used a DAC/preamp to feed another amp. And others have suggested the amp section of the Predator is something special. So I have my Pico feeding the Predator and it seems to give the best of both worlds. Incredible detail with enough warmth and smoothness to not be overly bright. The sound just feels right and gives a nice illusion of a live event.
The difference between either amp alone and the combination is not like night and day. These are both very competent performers. But there is an added suchness to the music when I use them both. This might be in part aided by the Harmonic Technology Magic Link 2 interconnect I am using between them. Kind of nuts to be using an $800 interconnect with a $500 DAC and amp but that is what I have on hand. And a lot of the credit for the sound also goes to the MarkL phones. They are a revelation and a joy to listen to. But all other things being equal, I still like the combination of the Pico and Predator more than either one alone.
