Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphone Amps › least sssibilant portable amps ???
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

least sssibilant portable amps ??? - Page 2

post #16 of 36
2/15/09 at 11:04pm
I wouldn't use an amp to resolve a sibilance problem, even assuming you can find a decent amp that would do that. An amp should be true to the source. As others have said, you probably need to change your source or your phones (unless you can EQ it and resolve it to your satisfaction that way).
Reply

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

post #17 of 36
2/16/09 at 12:09am
I sold my PK1 and kept the OK1 but I do not remember them being sibilant. Perhaps my amps are on the dark side.

I know the MiniBox-E+ w/ AD797 is a bit darker than w/ the AD8610. The SR71A is to me way to warm and it may not show the sibilance w/ the PK1. The TTVJ Millet Portable Amp being a tube hybrid is also on the warm side. Lastly the SR71 is a very neutral unit and I still did not hear a lot of sibilance, I guess I am just old and can not hear beyond 16 KHz.
Reply
post #18 of 36
2/16/09 at 1:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HiFlight View Post
Can't you EQ out the sibilance????

Shouldn't be too hard to drop the response in the 3-6 k range.
I don't know if you've ever used a Fuze, but it doesn't like to have its EQ changed.

I would think the best way to get rid of sibilance is to just change your phones.
Reply
post #19 of 36
2/16/09 at 2:33am
I just listened to Diana Krall > Sansa Fuze > various portable amps > PK1 with stock punched foams. Amps were:
  • TTVJ Portable Millet
  • Meier Move
  • XIN Supermicro IV 4/11
  • Pico
  • FIIO E5
Sibillance was well presented with either amp, while Millett was least sibilant. Anyway, I doubt that you will sucesfully cure the problem with an amp. You may try alternative ways, like using higher bitrate or trying another foams.

I beleive that the best solution is an upgrade to OK1, which excels on vocals. See the quote from my OK1 vs PK1 comparison:
Mids quality: +1 to OK1. OK1 mids are more neutral and are very distinctive - I hear every singer rather than choir in a whole. PK1 mids are warmer and less detailed. PK1 mids are more forward also, closer to you.

Highs quality: +0,5 to OK1. Update 1: At first version of the review I gave +1 to PK1, later I carefully listened to drum solo test track and revised the score. Highs of PK1 are stronger, OK1 highs are softer and more detailed. Due to more agressive highs, PK1 sound more lively with fast rock, while OK1 sounds a bit boring. On the other hand PK1 may produce some sibilance on vocals, which OK1 never does.
 Start with a link in my sig, if you are interested.
Reply
post #20 of 36
2/16/09 at 2:51am
Even ER4S has sibilance, its just what level is tolerable/acceptable.
Reply
post #21 of 36
2/16/09 at 7:31am
Thread Starter 
well the thing is that i CAN stand this sibilance most of the time. Yes, Diana Kral is what couses most pain . I have red that the opamp ad8610, which is used in my minibox-d, is very bright, so the Mr. Arroyo answer is what i expected to hear. I don't want to upgrade to ok1 because even pk1's have too week bass for me. Sibilance is presented on FLAC's also (Norah Jones). Maybe i need to describe the sound i get through minibox: it is kind of dry, metallic sounding with pronounced highs.
Reply
post #22 of 36
2/16/09 at 7:53am
Ray Samuels amps are known to have a warm signature. A solid core copper interconnect (I know its a mini) will help and also you can use a bit of EQ, right? A crappy interconnect will turn dynamics and details into distortion and sibilance.

http://www.audiophileproducts.com/iplo1

Quote:
Solid Conductors prevent harshness and confusion caused by strand interaction.
Reply
post #23 of 36
2/16/09 at 8:20am
Thread Starter 
tnx, olbueyez. i thought silver cables have less distortion and better conduction. but i doubt anyone got rid of their headphone sibilance by simply adding some expensive interconnects
Reply
post #24 of 36
2/16/09 at 8:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by prone2phone View Post
tnx, olbueyez. i thought silver cables have less distortion and better conduction. but i doubt anyone got rid of their headphone sibilance by simply adding some expensive interconnects
Silver has more sibiance and high end energy and copper is more balanced and natural. Is your IC silver? I dont know where you are getting you cable info but I would look else where in the future!

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f21/si...7/#post5336073

Quote:
hear, hear. I was never a believer in interconnects making an audio difference so I always just had one interconnect (a silver one). But when I DIYed my own interconnect and a LOD, I chose copper cause it was cheaper and I was likely to screw up and wow there IS a difference. And I prefer my copper DIY one, it matches/synthesizes with the rest of my rig really well.
Reply
post #25 of 36
2/16/09 at 9:12am
Thread Starter 
donno, stock, maybe nickel or copper. but the thread is about amps mainly. i am willing to upgrade my portable amp in the future, so nonetheless i am interested, which are good for my ears. i also have beyerdynamic dtx800 and they are worm, bassy, but sibilance is still present, so it's not just yuins, i think. Predator? Mustang? TTVJ millet? ok , what more? i don't need the most expensive, just soft sounding. is the opamp rolling the only way to go?
Reply
post #26 of 36
2/16/09 at 10:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by prone2phone View Post
Maybe i need to describe the sound i get through minibox: it is kind of dry, metallic sounding with pronounced highs.
I doubt that amp may turn PK1 into the sound signature you described. Likely earbuds do not fit. Try other foams like MX75 foams - recommended for PK1, PK2 and other earbuds
Reply
post #27 of 36
2/16/09 at 10:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by olblueyez View Post
Silver has more sibiance and high end energy and copper is more balanced and natural. Is your IC silver? I dont know where you are getting you cable info but I would look else where in the future!

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f21/si...7/#post5336073
hehe well it (silver)does have better conductivity, but a metal that lowers distortion hmmm. construction of the cable maybe, but the base metal as long as its suitable will do fine. best wire I have ever heard is stranded, so I dont know whats up there. piccolino. anyway, i'm with everyone else here. an amp will/should only pass on what is happening at the source. so change your source or the HP. any amp that lowers sibilance thats in the recording or the source is likely doing other harm to the signal as well IMO
Reply
post #28 of 36
2/16/09 at 11:32am
Thread Starter 
thnx, kostalex, maybe i'll try, thuogh hard to believe it could help. . brr. confused. Skylabs comparisons gave me impressions that amp can harshen a sound a lot.. Any minibox-d users here?
Reply
post #29 of 36
2/16/09 at 12:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by prone2phone View Post
thnx, kostalex, maybe i'll try, thuogh hard to believe it could help. . brr. confused. Skylabs comparisons gave me impressions that amp can harshen a sound a lot.. Any minibox-d users here?
no not normally the amp itself causing the sibilance; its usually a matter of it dealing with sibilance badly. sibilance that is usually caused at the source or your headphones. I suppose some amps and bad synergies could accentuate the problem, but its unlikely to be the source of the issue
Reply
post #30 of 36
2/16/09 at 1:03pm
how does PK1 sound out of your Fuze?
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Portable Headphone Amps

Head-Fi's Best Sellers

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphone Amps › least sssibilant portable amps ???