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REVIEW: ALO Audio Amphora SS headphone amp - Page 6

post #76 of 237
5/8/09 at 6:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by krmathis View Post
Your dad is one lucky fellow!
Make sure you burn it in and pair it with a nice pair of headphones. I am sure he will be pleased.
GS1000i...I hope he likes them! Thank for the encouragement!
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post #77 of 237
5/8/09 at 6:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tkam View Post
in my experience when someone tries to avoid answering questions about a design by calling it proprietary it's usually because they are trying to hide what it really is...
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
Does it matter when the sound is this good?
I'd say those are two unrelated matters.

If someone designs the best-sounding amp "in the history of Earth" using the cheapest amplification circuit out there, more power to him. Why hide the design used though? Most respected audio companies have no shame revealing basic details of their circuits, so I don't buy the whole "proprietary" thing.
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post #78 of 237
5/8/09 at 6:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skylab View Post
Dude lighten up on the axe you're grinding. He JUST GOT IT! Might take some time to get some listening done...
Skylab, I have no idea what your motivations are, maybe you should delineate them?. I only "know" a few things.

1) The Board/Heart of this amp is about 1x2", these guys must be frackin' genus's?? Krell Need's to hire these guys at high $$$ salaries. Because they/ve turned $30 worth of parts into a goldmine, at your recommendation of course.
2) If you read the the initial feedback in the ALO Forum about this product, there is a Plethora about how beautiful the Walnut is, for about a million posts!! Take the time to read this thread with a Critical eye:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f70/am...ssions-415737/

I have no axe to grind here. I only believe in objective assessment. If these MoFo's have the baddest MoFo to walk the earth as you have suggested, they can send me one for a comparative evaluation. I am in the market for a $1000 Headamp and here is my choice:

н¨ÍøÒ³ 1

So, explain to me how your 2x1" amp can match this one in engineering prowess????

Also, explain to me how the Audio-GD shills that posted in this thread backing you up just went silent??

ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS SUSPECT EVERYTHING YOU READ HERE. USE COMMON SENSE! DON'T BE A LEMMING!!! THIS IS A $30 AMP, BUY ACCORDINGLY!!

IF A 9 VOLT BATTERY CAN PROVIDE AUDIO NIRVANA, WHY IN THE FRACK DID YOU COME HERE????

AS SEEN ON TV!!!

CONTACT ME DIRECTLY!!!

JOIN TEAM SNAKE OIL!!!

Team Snake Oil!!

.
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post #79 of 237
5/8/09 at 7:07pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by les_garten View Post
Skylab, I have no idea what your motivations are, maybe you should delineate them?.

.
You have "motivations", not me. I reviewed the amp. I have reviewed more than 80 different amplifiers on head-fi. I call it like I see it. And unlike you I have actually LISTENED to this amp. The last ALO amp I reviewed (prior to this one) got an essentially negative review from me.

You have preconceived notions about an amp you have never heard, for reasons that are not clear (at least to me). You've decided to use my review thread to go on the attack. Why? Because I gave this amp a positive review?

As far as I'm concerned, you're crapping in my thread. Start your own thread to promote your own agenda. Stay out of this one with your totally biased rants and unsupported claims.
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post #80 of 237
5/8/09 at 7:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gp_hebert View Post
I'd say those are two unrelated matters.

If someone designs the best-sounding amp "in the history of Earth" using the cheapest amplification circuit out there, more power to him. Why hide the design used though? Most respected audio companies have no shame revealing basic details of their circuits, so I don't buy the whole "proprietary" thing.
I think the issue is that there are at least 2 very high-profile cases of a headphone amp maker's design being ripped off. The most public was the one involving Meier audio having one of its designs directly copied.

I work for a technology company that has spent a lot of time and money protecting it's intellectual property. An amp design is intellectual property (or at least has the potential to be), and it seems reasonable to try to protect it to me.
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post #81 of 237
5/8/09 at 7:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skylab View Post
An amp design is intellectual property (or at least has the potential to be), and it seems reasonable to try to protect it to me.
One could argue that most of the headphone amps out there are slight variations over designs dating from a few decades. Most of the innovation is done by either DIYers or big companies like Krell and Sony. This particular amp has so few parts that's it's hard to believe there's some incredible proprietary technology worth hiding.
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post #82 of 237
5/8/09 at 7:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gp_hebert View Post
One could argue that most of the headphone amps out there are slight variations over designs dating from a few decades. Most of the innovation is done by either DIYers or big companies like Krell and Sony. This particular amp has so few parts that's it's hard to believe there's some incredible proprietary technology worth hiding.

Indeed, I understand your point. But if the available differences are indeed small, would one want to even more fiercly protect them?


In any case, I have no more to say on that topic. While I find it intellectually stimulating as a topic, it is not my cross to bear in this case.
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post #83 of 237
5/8/09 at 7:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skylab View Post
Indeed, I understand your point. But if the available differences are indeed small, would one want to even more fiercly protect them?
I also get your point, I think we just have different views on the matter. To me, not being afraid of divulging the internals of an amp is a sign of quality. Things like not saying which chip is used in the Amphora or Ray Samuels paiting op-amps with nail polish just seem shady to me.

If someone wants to copy an amp, he'll do it no matter what, reverse-engineering a headphone amp is not exactly quantum mechanics.
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post #84 of 237
5/8/09 at 7:53pm
Thread Starter 
Indeed, perhaps so. And I see where you are coming from. Perhaps my view on this topic is colored by my own career in start-up companies, where protection of IP is crucial.
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post #85 of 237
5/8/09 at 11:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LaidBack View Post
I would also suggest upgrading it to provide the ability to drive both low and high impedance cans. IMO, A $1,000 audiophile SS amp should be able to handle the task. I'm in the market now for a quality SS amp in this price class, and that's a deal breaker for me. It's not a tube vs. SS issue. The recently reviewed SS C-2C performed well: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/rev...ml#post5581106
The Amphora I had drove all kinds of headphones I threw at it w/o missing a beat. I do not see this to be an issue.
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post #86 of 237
5/8/09 at 11:13pm
For those of you reading this thread or similar ones on the Amphora I would like to say that besides being a beautiful to look at amp the Amphora is also a great sounding unit. I can not and will not say that it will have good synergy with your system or that it will please you. There are way too many variables, but I can unequivocally state that I enjoyed the sound and its clear mellow presentation. Those who have had an opportunity to listen to one of the examples have spoken and so far we all concur in liking the Amphora a lot.

Those who have not had an opportunity to listen to one see if you can attend a meet to hear for your self! The final and only proof is in listening to the unit.
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post #87 of 237
5/9/09 at 12:42am
As I say, les is more and in this case, way too much and for what reason(don't answer that please).

Great job Rob, as always a great service to Head-Fi.
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post #88 of 237
5/9/09 at 1:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Skylab View Post
<snip>

As far as I'm concerned, you're crapping in my thread. Start your own thread to promote your own agenda. Stay out of this one with your totally biased rants and unsupported claims.
Perhaps. But he is bringing up valid observations related to the design and engineering expended on this product. I don't see a problem with anyone commenting on reviews; in fact, I think it is a practice that should be encouraged, whether positive or negative. Had it been an amp with a modest casing, etc. and selling for a commensurate price, I doubt anyone would have expended the efforts. Including the review efforts... I chuckle everytime I think of someone doing this to review a Cmoy . Or... would it? Remember that designing per a datasheet will not hold up as IP. Obscuring chip markings, etc. is a pretty lame attempt/excuse at preserving IP. And yes, I believe there have been instances of designs being ripped off for commercial purposes.
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post #89 of 237
5/9/09 at 3:52am
Im curios now that skylab has reviewed the amphora and the isabella on how much do the two amps differ in sound. Being the isabella has the tube line stage, how did that change the sound/quality of the isabella compared to the amphora.(granted the dacs are different which I know will affect the sound too)
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post #90 of 237
5/9/09 at 4:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by les_garten View Post
Skylab, I have no idea what your motivations are, maybe you should delineate them?. I only "know" a few things
<snip>
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