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REVIEW: Head-direct.com HiFiMan EF2 tube Hybrid Amp with USB DAC - Page 57

post #841 of 1225
2/7/10 at 6:10pm
I have RCA tubes coming in. I will post my findings soon.
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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 #842 of 1225
2/7/10 at 10:37pm
I swapped out the stock tubes with a pair of NOS GE 6AK5. To be honest, can't really tell much difference (yet?).

I have a pair of NOS Mullard's coming this week. Going to try those out too.
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post #843 of 1225
2/7/10 at 10:57pm
The only tubes I have that sounded noticably different from the stock are the Mullard CV4010's and Ratheon 6Ak5's. The Mullards being the greater warmth of the two. Both required extensive burn in > 100 hrs
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post #844 of 1225
2/8/10 at 2:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by chevman View Post
I swapped out the stock tubes with a pair of NOS GE 6AK5. To be honest, can't really tell much difference (yet?).
I am afraid of this with my new tubes. Alot of head-fiers make the smallest differences seem huge.
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post #845 of 1225
2/8/10 at 3:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crazy*Carl View Post
I am afraid of this with my new tubes. Alot of head-fiers make the smallest differences seem huge.
This has been my experience as well. This holds me back from getting a new amp, or maybe new headphones, but I feel that tubes are a necessity. My stock ones will burn out eventually and need to be replaced, so spending $20 for the Mullards is so much easier to justify than getting a $500 amp or DAC.

Budget hi-fi may seem like an oxymoron, but its pretty much the name of the game for me.
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post #846 of 1225
2/10/10 at 4:17am
Tagging for future reference.
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post #847 of 1225
2/10/10 at 12:44pm
Im debating to get an AD-900 or a Hd-650, with one of these amps... What do you guys think?
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post #848 of 1225
2/10/10 at 11:51pm
Ordered my Mullards yesterday, I'm curious to hear them!
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post #849 of 1225
2/15/10 at 9:51pm
Anyone have any mullards their willing to sell? i looked online and don't really have $20 for a single tube, or $35 for a pair.

But would love to try a pair of mullards.. NOS or lightly used.. Don't have much money to spend, lost my unemployment checks (and can't find a job), but I'll spend $15 max hopefully.
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post #850 of 1225
2/15/10 at 10:48pm
2x NOS MULLARD CV4010 VALVE EF95 M8100 6AK5 5654 Tubes - eBay (item 270506323434 end time Feb-23-10 13:20:14 PST)

These are $20 a pair if you don't mind the extra $5.
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post #851 of 1225
2/15/10 at 10:52pm
Will be a tight budget I'll think about it..

I might try and see if the local ham radio convention still goes on here..
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post #852 of 1225
2/15/10 at 11:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mmd8x28 View Post
Anyone have any mullards their willing to sell? i looked online and don't really have $20 for a single tube, or $35 for a pair.

But would love to try a pair of mullards.. NOS or lightly used.. Don't have much money to spend, lost my unemployment checks (and can't find a job), but I'll spend $15 max hopefully.

I bought mine from here: eBay.com.my: CV4010 VALVE EF95 M8100 6AK5 - NOS - MULLARD - x 2 (item 290385745381 end time Jan 13, 2010 06:47:52 MYT)
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post #853 of 1225
2/17/10 at 2:30am
I'm looking to upgrade from my Grado SR-60 to a Sennheiser HD-580 and an Amp/DAC combo. This will be my first amp. I've been considering the EF2, the Maverick D-1, the Aune MK2, and the Zero 2009 w/ USB & OPA627.

I mainly listen to baroque period classical music and I'm not sure whether to go with a solid state or a tube amp. The description of the EF2 as "warm" and "musical" is appealing to me, but I just don't have a reference point of comparison since I've never listened to a SS or tube amp. Can anyone describe the differences, and whether one is preferable for classical music?

In addition, I just wanted to clarify that the EF2 is indeed powerful enough to drive an HD-580 or HD-600 to acceptably loud volume levels. Some of the reviews of the Maverick D-1 prefer that unit for its more powerful amp, and I'm wondering how much this matters. Will the loudness be a concern with the 580s?

Of course, any direct comparisons with the Zero (2009 w/ OPA627 or otherwise), Maverick D-1, or Aune MK2 would be helpful. Thanks again. Sorry I'm a newb. I've been reading up but there's so much to learn!
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post #854 of 1225
2/17/10 at 3:33am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jasonwc View Post
I'm looking to upgrade from my Grado SR-60 to a Sennheiser HD-580 and an Amp/DAC combo. This will be my first amp. I've been considering the EF2, the Maverick D-1, the Aune MK2, and the Zero 2009 w/ USB & OPA627.

I mainly listen to baroque period classical music and I'm not sure whether to go with a solid state or a tube amp. The description of the EF2 as "warm" and "musical" is appealing to me, but I just don't have a reference point of comparison since I've never listened to a SS or tube amp. Can anyone describe the differences, and whether one is preferable for classical music?

In addition, I just wanted to clarify that the EF2 is indeed powerful enough to drive an HD-580 or HD-600 to acceptably loud volume levels. Some of the reviews of the Maverick D-1 prefer that unit for its more powerful amp, and I'm wondering how much this matters. Will the loudness be a concern with the 580s?

Of course, any direct comparisons with the Zero (2009 w/ OPA627 or otherwise), Maverick D-1, or Aune MK2 would be helpful. Thanks again. Sorry I'm a newb. I've been reading up but there's so much to learn!
I have not heard any of the other amps you are considering.

It is possible for both SS or tube amps to be warm and musical, and for example the Nuforce uDAC is a warm and musical SS amp (with USB DAC like EF2, but not as powerful). Other SS amps wont be as warm and musical, but they can be upgraded with opamps like the OPA627 (Travagans Red for example). So, the Zero might fall in that category with OPA627 but I would only be guessing. Some SS amps can't be modified and may be slightly on the cool side, like Grahm Slee Novo, but even that can be warmed up with the right DAC to work great with HD580/600 (HR Micro DAC, uDAC, etc).

I think that the EF2 has enough power for my HD600, and I like how it sounds with them as a budget amp. The EF2 does remind me a lot of the Travagans Red with OPA627 opamps, or the Qinpu A-3 tube hybrid with JAN GE 5670 tubes. There are amps out there with more power, but it costs extra. The HD580 should be very similar to my HD600, and I'd expect them to work well with EF2 or these others. The EF2 improves with a nicer set of tubes ($20-$30), and even more with a more detailed DAC like uDAC or Super Pro DAC707 optical DAC feeding it later.
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post #855 of 1225
2/17/10 at 3:39am
It's so hard with so many options so close in price and so many opinions about OPamp this, and HDAM that, Tubes or no tubes. The EF2 is the only one of the above which uses the tube in the headphone out so if you only want one unit and want "Tubes" The EF2 would be you best bet. The Maverick would be more powerful but would reqiure you to run the Tube Pre-out to another amp to use the tube stage. The Maverick and Zero are very close in comparison of thier Solid State headphone out with IMHO a slight lead in the Maverick. The Audi GD "Fun" (formerly the Compass) can outshine Either the Maverick or Zero, but is just over 100.00 USD more and slightly larger.

I don't know if this has helped or just given you even more to decide.
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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