Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › SPL Phonitor Roll Call & Appreciation Thread
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

SPL Phonitor Roll Call & Appreciation Thread - Page 4

post #46 of 661
8/8/09 at 1:38pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by EugeneK View Post
OH wow, the Auditor drives my AKG K340 really well too - and I was going to build a speaker amp for it.

and the K340 sounds better than the HD800 for classical - violins are just magical.
Wow! I've been using a cheap Sony in-ear 'phone and am looking for a good replacement. And if it synergizes with the Phonitor, all the better. How is this with acoustic guitars? Bass guitars?
Reply

Gear mentioned in this thread:

post #47 of 661
8/8/09 at 1:43pm
Oh, I'm not talking about the AKG K340 in ear, it's the old out of production electrostat-dynamic hybrid.

And they're terrribly difficult cans to drive. Lets say if my listening volume for the HD800 is 9 o'clock on the auditor, the AKG K340 would be at 1 o'clock.
Reply
post #48 of 661
8/8/09 at 7:51pm

Auditor & GS-1

Hi,

I am looking into either Auditor or GS-1 for home use. My current setup DA100 + GCHA make me pretty happy at office. What I am looking for is clarity, details, tight focus, and wide soundstage. I would appreciate your experience of Auditor (or Phonitor without considering its unique feature) on those aspects. It would be even better if you can compare it with GS-1. The plan would be use either Meier Corda's StageDAC (to make up some soundstage manipulating feature of Phonitor) or PS DL III as the source.

Another question is what the good place (with good price) would be to buy Auditor in US?

Many thanks!!
Reply
post #49 of 661
8/8/09 at 10:03pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by EugeneK View Post
Oh, I'm not talking about the AKG K340 in ear, it's the old out of production electrostat-dynamic hybrid.

And they're terrribly difficult cans to drive. Lets say if my listening volume for the HD800 is 9 o'clock on the auditor, the AKG K340 would be at 1 o'clock.
I just googled it. First time I've ever heard of it. Just read up on it in wikiphonia. How would you describe the difference between the HD800 and the K340 when it comes to classical? I'd imagine a bit more warmth because it's closed. I never had interest in vintage cans, but this may be one to look out for. Thanks for the tip, Eugene.
Reply
post #50 of 661
8/8/09 at 10:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dukja View Post
Hi,
I am looking into either Auditor or GS-1 for home use. My current setup DA100 + GCHA make me pretty happy at office. What I am looking for is clarity, details, tight focus, and wide soundstage. I would appreciate your experience of Auditor (or Phonitor without considering its unique feature) on those aspects.
Hi, Dukja. I've only experienced the Phonitor with the crossfeed, speaker angles, and center levels turned on so it's difficult for me to comment. In the next day or two, I'll try to run a test with all of these turned off and post a comment. Ideally, someone with an Auditor will respond.

Quote:
It would be even better if you can compare it with GS-1. The plan would be use either Meier Corda's StageDAC (to make up some soundstage manipulating feature of Phonitor) or PS DL III as the source.
I've never heard the GS-1 or the StageDac so I can't comment. The source for my Phonitor is a stock DL3. This combo works for me and my music.

Quote:
Another question is what the good place (with good price) would be to buy Auditor in US?

Many thanks!!
I got my Phonitor from AudioLot for the best price I could find at the time. I don't see the Auditor on their site. You could check with them.

Sorry I can't answer a lot of your questions. Perhaps someone else will be able to.
Reply
post #51 of 661
8/9/09 at 12:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by feifan View Post
I just googled it. First time I've ever heard of it. Just read up on it in wikiphonia. How would you describe the difference between the HD800 and the K340 when it comes to classical? I'd imagine a bit more warmth because it's closed. I never had interest in vintage cans, but this may be one to look out for. Thanks for the tip, Eugene.
The K340 is not a closed can. It's open, there's a huge hole in the case behind the piece that says "electrostatic-dynamic systems". The mids are more present in the K340 and the highs are delicious. There is less bass impact in the K340, which I like for classical anyway. So it's actually less warm than the HD800.
Reply
post #52 of 661
8/9/09 at 12:59am
feifan:

Thanks a lot for your reply. I would be very interested in your experience of Phonitor with all those soundstage features off. Hopefully, some kind auditor owner would reply, too.

Once again, I would appreciate your comments on the C/D/F/S aspect.

And I am glad to hear that stock DL3 works well for you. Its new lower price make it quite competitive.
Reply
post #53 of 661
8/9/09 at 1:06am
feifan, yea i was saying that k340 also. i'm thinking getting the phonitor for some other akgs, not the k340 because k340 is not easy on amp. i'm still searching for an amp though...
Reply
post #54 of 661
8/9/09 at 6:27am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by EugeneK View Post
The K340 is not a closed can. It's open, there's a huge hole in the case behind the piece that says "electrostatic-dynamic systems". The mids are more present in the K340 and the highs are delicious. There is less bass impact in the K340, which I like for classical anyway. So it's actually less warm than the HD800.
Oh, yeah! I see the tiny holes. I guess the back is less solid than it looks. So you like a bit of emphasis in the mids, away from the flat, for classical? I usually think of amps as "fast" or "slow," but would you say the K340 is faster than the HD800 in the highs?

Quote:
Originally Posted by dukja View Post
feifan:

Thanks a lot for your reply. I would be very interested in your experience of Phonitor with all those soundstage features off. Hopefully, some kind auditor owner would reply, too.

Once again, I would appreciate your comments on the C/D/F/S aspect.

And I am glad to hear that stock DL3 works well for you. Its new lower price make it quite competitive.
You're welcome, Dukja. Yeah, I was blown away by the lower price. It's an excellent DAC! It has a couple of really nice features on the front, as well as a lot of input options. I'll try to run a brief test of the Phonitor (minus the special features) in the next few days.

Quote:
Originally Posted by fhuang View Post
feifan, yea i was saying that k340 also. i'm thinking getting the phonitor for some other akgs, not the k340 because k340 is not easy on amp. i'm still searching for an amp though...
Fhuang, you've heard (own?) the K340, too? It seems to be well known. If 'phones can remain popular over a long period of time, then they're classics, and it looks as though the K340 is a classic -- which means they'll probably never come up for sale.

Before you decide on an amp, try to see if you can spend some time with a Phonitor (or Auditor), perhaps at your local audio store. Take your favorite cans and CDs with you to test it out. It's worth a serious look. Are you into a wide range of music or primarily one genre?
Reply
post #55 of 661
8/9/09 at 6:33am
right here. to r10, l3000g, 880/600.
Reply
post #56 of 661
8/10/09 at 6:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrOutside View Post
right here. to r10, l3000g, 880/600.
MrOutside, I'm trying to figure out what your message says. Are you saying that you have Phonitor connected to these 'phones:
Sony MDR-R10
Audio Technica ATH L3000G
Beyerdynamic DT-880 (600 Ohms)

If yes, then I'd like to hear your opinions about the synergy that you get with each, with the Phonitor. The first two are rare and high-end so I'm especially curious about those. Thanks.
Reply
post #57 of 661
8/10/09 at 1:50pm
Eugene,
I'm glad to hear that the K340 matches up well with the Auditor. I'm going to be trying the HD800 (got mine last week), Edition 9, HD650, and K340 with the Phonitor when it arrives. I should be getting my Phonitor in about 1-1/2 weeks.
Reply
post #58 of 661
8/10/09 at 2:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveM324 View Post
Eugene,
I'm glad to hear that the K340 matches up well with the Auditor. I'm going to be trying the HD800 (got mine last week), Edition 9, HD650, and K340 with the Phonitor when it arrives. I should be getting my Phonitor in about 1-1/2 weeks.
Urgh - Don't trust that delivery estimate. SPL has been running out of phonitors and auditors lately. They shipped mine out a week after their initial estimate - delaying the estimate day by day. -.-

i.e.

Asked on friday: "it'll ship out monday"
Asked on monday: "it'll ship out tuesday"
Asked on tesday: "it'll ship out wednesday" ..... you get the picture.

I got annoyed enough of their answer on wednesday that I threatened to pull my order. -.-
Reply
post #59 of 661
8/10/09 at 7:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by dukja View Post
Hi,

I am looking into either Auditor or GS-1 for home use. My current setup DA100 + GCHA make me pretty happy at office. What I am looking for is clarity, details, tight focus, and wide soundstage. I would appreciate your experience of Auditor (or Phonitor without considering its unique feature) on those aspects. It would be even better if you can compare it with GS-1. The plan would be use either Meier Corda's StageDAC (to make up some soundstage manipulating feature of Phonitor) or PS DL III as the source.

Another question is what the good place (with good price) would be to buy Auditor in US?

Many thanks!!
Dukja, I turned off the CF/Spkr and Center switches on the Phonitor and have been listening for the past couple of hours to my favorite test tracks. Transport is computer, WAV files, optical in to the source, Digital Link III (stock). With the HD800, there was no drop-off in SQ that I could detect.

I see the K702 and HD600 in your signature. I don't have these cans, but I have the 701 and 650. With the K701, I experienced the same sort of "bleaching" that I had earlier with the special features switched on. The HD650 is amazing. It doesn't sound like the 650. No veil, no darkness -- except in comparison to the HD800. Otherwise, "clarity, details, tight focus, and wide soundstage" are superb.

I could listen to this HD650 lineup for hours with absolutely no problems.

Conclusion re the Phonitor with special CF/Spkr/Center features turned off: The SQ remains extremely high. IF this configuration effectively turns the Phonitor into an Auditor, then the Auditor is an extremely good buy.

Caveat: I don't know if you'd get the same results with the Auditor. I'm not assuming that the Phonitor and Auditor are exact equals -- except for the special features. I've never heard the Auditor so I can't really say. Also, my equipment lineup with upgraded power cables and interconnects might have an impact. Finally, my cans are not the same as yours, and I've never heard the K702 and HD600.
Reply
post #60 of 661
8/10/09 at 11:11pm
I don't own either the Auditor or the Phonitor.

But I did get a chance to try both from a shop. It wasn't really burned in yet my estimate it was just used 20+ hours that time. I had my RS1 that time as well as Cal's ED8 and PS1000.

IMO both have a different presentation even when all the special crossfeed and angle features are off. The Auditor sounded warmer with a lusher body than the Phonitor. The Phonitor even with the settings all turned off was more into details and soundstage.

If I sum it up on my personal findings the auditor has a more musical presentation. I can describe it as having a thinge of the tube like sound and the presentation is on a more personal feel. It was also more forgiving than its brother the Phonitor. The Phonitor on the other hand has an insane soundstage. The details were fantastic. You can easily separate voices and instruments even when using the RS1. But the phonitor sounded colder than the Auditor and will surely put a bad recording in its place.

On a personal note I would have also bought a phonitor myself. Because it was a real upgrade to my Yamamoto in terms of that big soundstage and scary details. the Auditor was just a sidestep or even a halfstep better than my Yama when I tried it out. But I have a long standing craving to get my self a RSA amp or else I would have bought a Phonitor myself.

I think Kidult should chime in as he actually bought a Auditor and actually had the set exchanged for a Phonitor. =)

As for the impressions with the three new BIG cans. I believe Kchew summed it up for us. I was also present at the mini-meet at Cal's place. =)
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Headphone Amps (full-size)

Gear mentioned in this thread:

Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › SPL Phonitor Roll Call & Appreciation Thread