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REVIEW: Head-direct.com HiFiMan EF2 tube Hybrid Amp with USB DAC - Page 12

post #166 of 1225
8/7/09 at 12:18am
so the 6zh1p-ev is fine right?
heres a spec link 6Zh1P-EV | Tubes Information
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Denon AHD2000 High Performance Over-Ear Headphones
$309.99 at
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Hifiman EF2A Usb Headphone Amplifier
$199 at
See it »
Sennheiser HD 800 Headphones
$1499.95 at
See it »
post #167 of 1225
8/7/09 at 1:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
I answered this in the other thread you posted in. "I feed the RCA into my Amphora and the mini to my EF2 with a mini-RCA cable, and both outputs are active at the same time with no switches, so if the amps are both on then the sound comes out of both of them."

You can feed the RCA into the EF2, and the mini to the powered speakers just fine, but you have to control the speaker volume via the speakers or with a volume attenuator.
Thanks, I understand now. Will something like the NHT Passive Volume Control work instead of an attenuator? Pico -> NHT PVC -> Speakers?
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post #168 of 1225
8/7/09 at 1:22am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by koven View Post
Thanks, I understand now. Will something like the NHT Passive Volume Control work instead of an attenuator? Pico -> NHT PVC -> Speakers?
Never heard of that item, sorry. But the name makes me think it would work similarly to the attenuator.
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post #169 of 1225
8/7/09 at 1:33am
Thanks, I'm about to buy a used Pico off another member, and also the volume control elsewhere. This thread has certainly cost my wallet, lol, but I hope it'll be worth it.

Have you had any experience with the Compass? I'm hoping my Pico -> EF2 combo is superior because I've thought about getting an all in one unit like the Compass to make life easier.. instead of piecing together so many components.
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post #170 of 1225
8/7/09 at 1:47am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by koven View Post
Thanks, I'm about to buy a used Pico off another member, and also the volume control elsewhere. This thread has certainly cost my wallet, lol, but I hope it'll be worth it.

Have you had any experience with the Compass? I'm hoping my Pico -> EF2 combo is superior because I've thought about getting an all in one unit like the Compass to make life easier.. instead of piecing together so many components.
I haven't heard the compass, but I am very happy with my laptop rig using Pico DAC-only to Amphora and EF2, with pre-amp out of the Amphora into my Nuforce Icon to drive my Stax transformer.
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post #171 of 1225
8/7/09 at 2:16am
If the compass sounds in any way similar to the c2c, forget it if you want natural sound. Dont know about the dac though
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post #172 of 1225
8/9/09 at 6:11am
Hey,

Can anyone compare EF2 with Little Dot MKii or MKiii? Which is a better amp for hungry headphones? (like K701 or HD650 or DT880)

Also i want to ask, it is a better choice getting EF2 or getting Little dot mkii/iii with a under 100$ DAC?
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post #173 of 1225
8/9/09 at 7:20am
The power rating on the ldmk2 is a little lower than the ef2 for low impedance cans so the ef2 might be better just based on that but as for sound quality, I'm diving into the ef2 myself and will report on how they compare with the little dot mk2 after some burn in
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post #174 of 1225
8/9/09 at 12:28pm
I Kinda wish Fang would have opted for a better DAC and upped the price to compensate. More on the power level of the EF1. And the 12AU7 family of the EF-1 is easier to find tubes to "Roll" with. I DO love the new up front control presentation for sure.
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post #175 of 1225
8/9/09 at 1:50pm
Thanks donunus.

Quote:
Originally Posted by donunus View Post
The power rating on the ldmk2 is a little lower than the ef2 for low impedance cans so the ef2 might be better just based on that but as for sound quality, I'm diving into the ef2 myself and will report on how they compare with the little dot mk2 after some burn in
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post #176 of 1225
8/9/09 at 11:37pm
EF2 + HD600 =
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post #177 of 1225
8/9/09 at 11:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vingard View Post
EF2 + HD600 =
Yeah, that's what I thought too.
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post #178 of 1225
8/10/09 at 12:13am
I've tried it with the SRH840, DT770/250 (pro and consumer versions) and HD650, but the HD600+EF2 combo is pure auditory bliss!

Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
Yeah, that's what I thought too.
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post #179 of 1225
8/10/09 at 12:25am
HD580 here, but I agree


btw out of curiosity, if i wanted a noticeable improvement(tube amps) from the ef2, what would be a good choice? i just got a pico dac and was thinking about getting a full size tube amp instead
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post #180 of 1225
8/10/09 at 6:02am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by koven View Post
HD580 here, but I agree


btw out of curiosity, if i wanted a noticeable improvement(tube amps) from the ef2, what would be a good choice? i just got a pico dac and was thinking about getting a full size tube amp instead
I am using my EF2 with a Pico DAC-only and I like the sound a lot. It's one of those affordable amps where most of my phones and IEM sound good with it, and where the musicality outweighs the lesser detail or soundstage vs more costly amps. It may not be as technically capable as a more costly amp, but it is very enjoyable. If you haven't heard better, would wouldn't know you were missing anything with the Pico > EF2.
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Denon AHD2000 High Performance Over-Ear Headphones
$309.99 at
See it »
Hifiman EF2A Usb Headphone Amplifier
$199 at
See it »
Sennheiser HD 800 Headphones
$1499.95 at
See it »
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › REVIEW: Head-direct.com HiFiMan EF2 tube Hybrid Amp with USB DAC