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red wine audio isabellina hpa - Page 2

post #16 of 85
10/18/09 at 2:05pm
Great Vinnie, may be what I am looking for. That is in black instead of the silver i170 I own. Plus the size of the Onkyo is a bit flatter and thus out of the way. Did I mention it has a door to prevent the dust from entering the dock area?
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post #17 of 85
11/15/09 at 10:29pm
Did you guys get the Onkyo ? Any reports ?
thanks
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post #18 of 85
11/16/09 at 10:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by omoanya View Post
Did you guys get the Onkyo ? Any reports ?
thanks
Got it! I brought it to the NY headfi meet this past weekend, and had it powered by the internal battery of the Isabellina HPA (we just had to make a different cable for it, and add a 5V linear regulator in the HPA). Works great and sounds great!

I really hope the ND-S1 makes it to the North American market soon - it is a really good value. I'll be doing a detailed comparison of it vs. the Wadia iTransport soon - this is in another thread. See: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f7/onk...ml#post6162643

More info soon...

Vinnie
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post #19 of 85
11/17/09 at 1:19pm
Hope this helps:
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/6163646-post110.html
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post #20 of 85
11/29/09 at 8:33pm
Forgot to mention:

During NY Headfi meet, I had the opportunity to listen to the prototype Audeze LCD-2's powered by the Isabellina HPA:

Audez'e | Introducing Audez’e LCD-2 headphones

This combo sounded FANTASTIC! Alex mentioned that they hope to be in production by the end of the year. For $650 - the LCD-2 is a STEAL. I am definitely getting a pair for myself.

I think they are finalizing the headband and will also make it with a detachable headphone cable (but the stock cable that they are using sure sounded good!).

I really loved this pairing and am looking forward to receiving my LCD-2s and will post more about them and some pics after I get to spend extended time with them teamed up with the Isabellina HPA + iTransport (or onkyo ND-S1) combo...

Best regards,

Vinnie
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post #21 of 85
1/18/10 at 3:35am
Its time to write review about this amazing item.

How could anyone do that without listening to music.
At the moment my cans vibrate Rammstein vibe, and I have goosebumps all over my body - it's so good. Yes, music its good, but Isabellina HPA gives the best experience.

I've read that HD650 has "veil" effect, well yes sometimes it does, but the sound out of Isabellina HPA just break through it. The sound of electronic music makes you dizzy (in a good way) and you want more and more.

In my honest opinion, I don't think that I will upgrade to any new amp/dac anytime soon (it has been almost a year that I have Isabellina HPA).
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post #22 of 85
3/4/10 at 3:33pm
Hi Carm,

I apologize for missing your post and not responding sooner (I was in the middle of moving RWA to a new building around that time - excuses, excuses! ).

Quote:
In my honest opinion, I don't think that I will upgrade to any new amp/dac anytime soon (it has been almost a year that I have Isabellina HPA).
I really appreciate your feedback and glad you are enjoying your HPA!

Thank you,

Vinnie
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post #23 of 85
3/4/10 at 3:38pm

Isabellina HPA: A musician’s perspective…

All,

I like to share feedback that I received via email from a musician who owns an Isabellina HPA.

NOTE: The following letter was unsolicited and is reprinted with permission. The author is a paying customer, and not an audio critic.

Quote:
Dear Vinnie:

I wanted to tell you I'm really enjoying the Red Wine Audio HPA. I'm using it with AKG 701s and Ultrasone Edition 8s, from my MBP with Amarra mini.

It’s clear that you designed the HPA for acoustic music… and judging by the results, you know what live acoustic music sounds like!

In twenty years of performing and recording, I have never heard anything that approaches the natural sound of the HPA for acoustic music. I'm listening to the new Ahmad Jamal album and have been admiring my percussionist colleague Manolo Badrena's performance. A percussionist is not the typical instrumentation to add to a piano trio, however Manolo is not your average percussionist. He’s a sculptor of sounds and shapes and uses many exotic percussion instruments including birdcalls, and various shells and tiny shakers as well as congas, etc. I’m familiar with and play all these instruments and I can say that they were captured and mixed fabulously and reproduced faithfully by your HPA.

In my observation, the very focused sound these instruments produce, and the accenting/background nature of trio Jazz percussion, (ie. the percussion is usually placed further back and lower in the mix) requires deep resolution of the entire chain in order to reproduce faithfully the timbre, attack, decay and localization of the various instruments. The HPA is delivering in a big way and I have been enjoying going back and listening to all my recordings.

For acoustic, there is no question that I will stop searching for what sounds best, because I am completely and ultimately content with the HPA.

Thank you again Vinnie,

Chris Fátóyè Theberge, Grammy-nominated Jazz artist
(Groove Collective)
I want thank Chris for writing and allowing me to post his letter - It really made my day!

Cheers!

Vinnie
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post #24 of 85
3/4/10 at 10:05pm
Nice comment by Chris and it matches my experience with the Isabellina HPA. BTW Vinnie, we need to talk.
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post #25 of 85
3/4/10 at 10:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Fátóyè Theberge
I'm using it with AKG 701s and Ultrasone Edition 8s
Any indication which of those two headphones he was using while listening to the reviewed Ahmad Jamal album, or which he prefers/believes more closely "captures and mixes fabulously and reproduces faithfully" in general?

I'm always curious about the opinions, and gear ownership, of experienced musicians who area also audiophiles.
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post #26 of 85
3/5/10 at 7:23pm
Hi Mrarroyo,

Thanks!

As you probably know, I moved Red Wine Audio last month - my new phone number is listed on the "contact" section of the Red Wine Audio website, and my email has stayed the same. Looking forward to catching-up with you soon!


Hi jpleg,

Good question! I emailed Chris and asked him your question. When I hear back, I'll post. BTW - I'm setting up a listening room in my new shop. Since you're local, you'll have to come up sometime to listen

Best regards,

Vinnie
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post #27 of 85
3/6/10 at 9:06pm
Ok Vinnie, sent you an email. Look forward to discussing the Isabella upgrade with you. Thanks.
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post #28 of 85
3/6/10 at 9:08pm
Congrats on the new locale, Vin. I will have to make time to come by to see/hear the listening room!
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post #29 of 85
3/7/10 at 5:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jpelg View Post
Any indication which of those two headphones he was using while listening to the reviewed Ahmad Jamal album, or which he prefers/believes more closely "captures and mixes fabulously and reproduces faithfully" in general?

I'm always curious about the opinions, and gear ownership, of experienced musicians who area also audiophiles.
Hi Jpleg,

Vinnie asked permission to post the letter i sent him and I'm glad he did so on this forum, because this is where i discovered RWA equipment in the first place. To answer your question, the AkG's are what I was referring to in particular. I had the cable replaced by Moon audio and while the Edition 8's are great, they feel a little compressed to me on the lowend and i'm not sure why. The only way that i can explain that is that they sound like some of the nice compressors we use in the studio to fatten things up, which i find great for certain music that wants color (drums on funk tracks, hip hop lowend etc.) But my AKGs with the HPA - are wide open and transparent right across the spectrum. Do pickup the Ahmad Jamal album if you get a chance, its worth a listen and will definitely stretch your system's (and ears!) ability to resolve detail - especially with Manolo's ever so subtle percussion work.

Happy listening !


Chris Fátóyè Theberge
(omoanya)
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post #30 of 85
3/8/10 at 1:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by jpelg View Post
Congrats on the new locale, Vin. I will have to make time to come by to see/hear the listening room!
Thanks, jpelg!

Quote:
Originally Posted by omoanya
Do pickup the Ahmad Jamal album if you get a chance, its worth a listen and will definitely stretch your system's (and ears!) ability to resolve detail - especially with Manolo's ever so subtle percussion work.
Hi Chris,

Thanks for your post here and letting us know your impressions of your headphones with the HPA, and I'm definitely going to check out that Ahmad Jamal ablum!

All the best,

Vinnie
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