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SPL Phonitor Roll Call & Appreciation Thread - Page 33

post #481 of 662
9/26/12 at 12:49pm
Thread Starter 

I've added the following Phonitor/Auditor owners to the roll in the OP. If I missed you or if you'd like to be listed, add a reply in this thread. For me, the interesting thing about the Phonitor is that it grows on you. I use a lot of different gear, and it's only when I return to the Phonitor that I really appreciate its transparency, speed, power, accuracy, and ability to separate, isolate, reposition. It doesn't jump out at you because it does it so easily, naturally, so it's almost as if it's not there. But I notice it, especially when I've been on the iPhone-Klipsch S4 tandem for most of the day.
 

34. daniel_hokkaido: Auditor

 

35. Jamiee: Phonitor

 

36. TWIFOSP: Phonitor

37. Timmyw: Phonitor

38. madbull: Phonitor --My Phonitor has arrived and is making the LCD-2 really sing. I don't even miss my Orpheus with that combo!! Makes me wanna upgrade to the LCD-3. I'm listening to some Haydn symphonies through Phonitor and HD800 and everything is great, imaging is next to perfection with the Xfeed on. It really feels like I'm the theater, sitting at third row. Really amazing.
 

39. rxs0: Phonitor

 

40. Parula: Phonitor

 

41. dukeskd: Phonitor - the crossfeed really makes the music more realistic in so many ways. I also love to listen to acoustic albums, Jimmy Page - David Coverdale, etc.

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post #482 of 662
9/26/12 at 1:35pm
feifan how does it compare to your beta22?
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post #483 of 662
9/26/12 at 4:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by daniel_hokkaido View Post

 

Ah I meant the Audiolab MDAC Acix. it's a UK brand but made in china. 

 

I just have the auditor myself. Although Jude did a great Head Fi TV review of the phonitor (its on youtube) and said its one the best SS amps for HD800s. 

I can't wait to try out the T1 soon. I think 800s are not versatile enough for my music collection. And I find 650s now a bit muffled. T1 should be a nice 

compromise. 

You sound exactly like me Daniel. I have the T1 and I have an enormous eclectic music collection and I just forget about the gear completely. I can't imagine you will be disappointed if you go with the T1. The HD650 confuse me, sometimes I think they sound great, at others they sound like the music is coming from a speaker that's underwater. I think I have the old version 650 though.

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post #484 of 662
9/26/12 at 5:28pm

Hey,

 

I thought both variations of the HD650 sounded the same to me. Both sounded muffled and bloated with congestion in the midrange.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Timmyw View Post

You sound exactly like me Daniel. I have the T1 and I have an enormous eclectic music collection and I just forget about the gear completely. I can't imagine you will be disappointed if you go with the T1. The HD650 confuse me, sometimes I think they sound great, at others they sound like the music is coming from a speaker that's underwater. I think I have the old version 650 though.

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post #485 of 662
9/26/12 at 11:31pm
Thread Starter 

Hey Sup. I know this sounds evasive, but I don't really compare the two. I use different line-ups for different purposes. When I'm working on the computer at non-music tasks, I use my iPhone with an earphone. Minimal hassles. When I need to get into the music for recording or tweaking, I usually turn to the Phonitor or m902 and K701 or HD650. All SE. For serious listening to known good recordings, I use the b22 and HD800. Balanced. For relaxed listening to anything, I usually turn to my other balanced rigs with the HD650 or HD800. I tend to favor neutrality, wide soundstage, separation, and accuracy over color, but at times I crave color, warmth, musicality and turn to iPhone+HF2(Grado) or m902+GS1K.

 

I think head-fiers end up with a lot of different rigs because they can't find one that serves all their needs and musical tastes. Different lineups tend to shine with different genres, with different applications, with different moods.
 

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post #486 of 662
9/27/12 at 12:31am
Thanks feifan, I also have two separate rigs, both that I love, each for a different occasion. Thanks for reply smily_headphones1.gif
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post #487 of 662
9/27/12 at 2:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timmyw View Post

You sound exactly like me Daniel. I have the T1 and I have an enormous eclectic music collection and I just forget about the gear completely. I can't imagine you will be disappointed if you go with the T1. The HD650 confuse me, sometimes I think they sound great, at others they sound like the music is coming from a speaker that's underwater. I think I have the old version 650 though.

 

Ah good to hear. The shop should get the sample T1 in next week :) Beyer are really invisible in UK at the moment ... they need to get their act together and catch up with Sennheiser ..which is everywhere here (in shops i mean) 

 

Yeah i know exactly what you mean with 650s man! Some genres I have just blend with its sound so well (electronica, some ambient stuff)...but im increasingly not listening to those ones now..so an upgrade to something with added uppers is looming! i will say one thing though...the 800s are phenomenal with live violin/cello. (For any 800 owners) Check out stuff on cello by Ernst Reijseger or (in my opinion one of the best recorded classic jazz albums) Charles Mingus 'Mingus Mingus Mingus'. yum! 

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post #488 of 662
9/27/12 at 5:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zombie_X View Post

Hey,

 

I thought both variations of the HD650 sounded the same to me. Both sounded muffled and bloated with congestion in the midrange.

 

Ya that's how I hear them. Mind you, I have never heard the later version of the HD 650 so I can't comment on how they sound. After I heard the T1s for the first time I knew the HD650 I owned weren't for me.

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post #489 of 662
9/27/12 at 5:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by daniel_hokkaido View Post

 

Ah good to hear. The shop should get the sample T1 in next week :) Beyer are really invisible in UK at the moment ... they need to get their act together and catch up with Sennheiser ..which is everywhere here (in shops i mean) 

 

Yeah i know exactly what you mean with 650s man! Some genres I have just blend with its sound so well (electronica, some ambient stuff)...but im increasingly not listening to those ones now..so an upgrade to something with added uppers is looming! i will say one thing though...the 800s are phenomenal with live violin/cello. (For any 800 owners) Check out stuff on cello by Ernst Reijseger or (in my opinion one of the best recorded classic jazz albums) Charles Mingus 'Mingus Mingus Mingus'. yum! 

Well, my T1s sound awesome with everything. I like what you said about the HD 800 though. I love Cello. Arrghh I wish there was someone around here that owned a pair.

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post #490 of 662
9/27/12 at 5:39am
I preferred HD600 and HD800 with tube amps than with Auditor.
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post #491 of 662
9/27/12 at 6:33am

Yeah tubes seem to be the ideal according to most for 800. What amp did you use? 

 

Also (for all phonitor owners) what DACs are you using? Im using Audiolab MDAC which is 1000 bucks pricepoint. Would be curious if anyone is 

running 2k to 5k DACs which they feel match well with SPL for an overall neutral presentation (yet not sparse of course!)

 

Any experience with DACs which are galvanically sealed usb wise?

 

Was looking at Antelope zodiac DACs and heard Berkeley Audio DACs are also amazing. But for headphone only use, can a 5k DAC give you 

something beyond a 3k one (like the zodiac) ...I have zero expertise on speakers systems btw. 

 

Dan 


Edited by daniel_hokkaido - 9/27/12 at 6:40am
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post #492 of 662
9/27/12 at 8:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by daniel_hokkaido View Post

Yeah tubes seem to be the ideal according to most for 800. What amp did you use? 

 

Also (for all phonitor owners) what DACs are you using? Im using Audiolab MDAC which is 1000 bucks pricepoint. Would be curious if anyone is 

running 2k to 5k DACs which they feel match well with SPL for an overall neutral presentation (yet not sparse of course!)

 

Any experience with DACs which are galvanically sealed usb wise?

 

Was looking at Antelope zodiac DACs and heard Berkeley Audio DACs are also amazing. But for headphone only use, can a 5k DAC give you 

something beyond a 3k one (like the zodiac) ...I have zero expertise on speakers systems btw. 

 

Dan 

 

 

The SPL amps will give you this impression that you have the best setup/DAC out there...and this because of the transparency level of those amps. In my experience the best for you will be to A/B two or more DACs. With the Phonitor transparency level you'll be able to notice the differences between the DAC's right away, at least in my case, because I use the Phonitor in my daily work as a mastering engineer.

 

Back in the US I had the chance to check out a bit the Amara and the Berkeley, but not in the same session with the Phonitor. In another occasion I was impressed with the Auditor /Ayre DAC combo, as well with the Phonitor and the Apogee Mini DAC, Also the OPPO CD player is great with the Phonitor, ( I don't remember the model this was in 2007/8, BTW this combo remind me the m902 ).

 

A few months back I had the chance to check out the V-800 in my studio...and I was surprise to find out the Apogee still rule.

 

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post #493 of 662
9/27/12 at 9:12am

I've forgot to mention that I've already talked with someone that I know at Antelope Audio to check out the Zodiac in my studio, but I waited to get the Voltikus PSU as well, and now I already want to session the Eclipse 384. I'm also interesting in the Weiss DAC.

 

 

 

 

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post #494 of 662
9/27/12 at 10:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by daniel_hokkaido View Post

Yeah tubes seem to be the ideal according to most for 800. What amp did you use? 

 

Also (for all phonitor owners) what DACs are you using? Im using Audiolab MDAC which is 1000 bucks pricepoint. Would be curious if anyone is 

running 2k to 5k DACs which they feel match well with SPL for an overall neutral presentation (yet not sparse of course!)

 

Any experience with DACs which are galvanically sealed usb wise?

 

Was looking at Antelope zodiac DACs and heard Berkeley Audio DACs are also amazing. But for headphone only use, can a 5k DAC give you 

something beyond a 3k one (like the zodiac) ...I have zero expertise on speakers systems btw. 

 

Dan 


I am using the Mytek 192 DAC with the Phonitor, both products of professional audio companies and I find that they also complement each other incredibly well.

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post #495 of 662
9/27/12 at 11:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Acix View Post

 

 

The SPL amps will give you this impression that you have the best setup/DAC out there...and this because of the transparency level of those amps. In my experience the best for you will be to A/B two or more DACs. With the Phonitor transparency level you'll be able to notice the differences between the DAC's right away, at least in my case, because I use the Phonitor in my daily work as a mastering engineer.

 

Do you mean by A/B two or more DACs that you run from your pc/macbook to apogee then from that to violectric then to the SPL? 

Another Q btw as you said you are a mastering engineer...is piano known to cause problems on higher notes for distortion? When i tried some phillip glass with the HD800s and my setup the 

resonance from accumulated notes (as glass does play fast!) was still there though MUCH less than with HD650s. As the notes build up in cresendos i just notice a lot of distortion (if that is 

the right term) ... when piano is slow its all crisp. Do you reckon this is my DAC getting overwhelmed or that the recording could be at fault? 

 

Def let me know what you think of the zodiac when you try it..i know it has an amp in it but i know nothing about its quality. Btw there is talk about the MDAC getting a PSU upgrade. I 

have chatted with mates about what advantages this could bring... is it to better store and regulate the quality of electricity going into the dac chip so it keeps it running at 100% effeciency

rather than having it fall prey to slight mains fluctuations? 

 

Cheers! P.S I read the computeraudiophile.com review of the Berkeley USB converter and the Alpha DAC today. Gawp! 


Edited by daniel_hokkaido - 9/27/12 at 11:05am
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