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HEAD-DIRECT EF-5 Headphone amplifier - Page 3

post #31 of 295
11/20/09 at 9:57pm
Baited Breath, Me waiting with.
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post #32 of 295
11/20/09 at 11:03pm
Woah... more dramatically different looking than I was expecting

DY-1?
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post #33 of 295
11/21/09 at 4:58am
wow

that thing is a beast

I kind of want it just to have a beast of an amp on my desktop ... even though I don't really need it.
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post #34 of 295
11/21/09 at 5:10am
what is this DY1? is this the power supply?
the EF5 looks great, I would really like to hear it. the EF1 is a great amp and if the EF5 go on top of it regarding sound, it should sound really amazing.
cheers for head-direct.
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post #35 of 295
11/21/09 at 5:29am
Yes, the DY-1 is the power supply - it is much beefier than the previous ones, and the switchable voltage allows it to run the 16v EF1 or the 18V EF5, and run in any country.
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post #36 of 295
11/21/09 at 5:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
Yes, the DY-1 is the power supply - it is much beefier than the previous ones, and the switchable voltage allows it to run the 16v EF1 or the 18V EF5, and run in any country.
cool..! headphoneaddict.. are you gonna review this one? I am really anctious to know the improvement in sound between the 1 and the 5.
by the way..if I have a 230v in my country, can i use both the 16v and the 18v configurations?..what is the difference actually?
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post #37 of 295
11/21/09 at 6:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by plonter View Post
cool..! headphoneaddict.. are you gonna review this one? I am really anctious to know the improvement in sound between the 1 and the 5.
I believe I will, or at least post my detailed impressions here in this thread, but I should have time to do a full or mini-review. I want to try it with the stock Sylvania 12AU7, and with my Mullard 12AU7 long plate and short plate which did well in the EF1 and CTH.

I will only be able to compare it to the EF2 and not the EF1, but I'll also compare it to other amps in it's price range that I have here. I did have an EF1 for several months and did a review vs the Cavalli CTH, and I compared the EF2 to the EF1 at CanJam which were very close except in the EF1's higher power levels, so I'll be able to indirectly infer how the EF5 would compare to the EF1. The EF1 was good enough that I was not unhappy to sell my DV336i that it replaced, because the EF1 was more versatile and worked with a wider variety of headphones. Knowing Fang, I expect the EF5 to do as well or better.
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post #38 of 295
11/21/09 at 6:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
I believe I will, or at least post my detailed impressions here in this thread, but I should have time to do a full or mini-review. I want to try it with the stock Sylvania 12AU7, and with my Mullard 12AU7 long plate and short plate which did well in the EF1 and CTH.

I will only be able to compare it to the EF2 and not the EF1, but I'll also compare it to other amps in it's price range that I have here. I did have an EF1 for several months and did a review vs the Cavalli CTH, and I compared the EF2 to the EF1 at CanJam which were very close except in the EF1's higher power levels, so I'll be able to indirectly infer how the EF5 would compare to the EF1. The EF1 was good enough that I was not unhappy to sell my DV336i that it replaced, because the EF1 was more versatile and worked with a wider variety of headphones. Knowing Fang, I expect the EF5 to do as well or better.
great! really looking farward to you comments.
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post #39 of 295
11/21/09 at 6:25am
The EF-1 was definitely not in the class of the Cavalli Audio CTH (with 6CG7 or 6GM8) or the SOHA2.

I'd be surprised if the EF-5 does any better than either of the two Cavalli amps..
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post #40 of 295
11/21/09 at 6:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sachu View Post
The EF-1 was definitely not in the class of the Cavalli Audio CTH (with 6CG7 or 6GM8) or the SOHA2.

I'd be surprised if the EF-5 does any better than either of the two Cavalli amps..
I think in my comparisons that I found the Cavalli CTH to be a little better than the EF1, regardless of the tubes that I used. But I could roll tubes to get the EF1 to sound somewhat close, and for people that can't DIY that gave them some options. The EF1 with the RCA cleartop installed could match the CTH treble but not the richness or fullness in the sound, and with the Mullard tubes it could match the CTH mids but then the treble was more rolled off - I did not have a tube that would get the EF1 to match all areas at the same time.

To me, the next noticeable step up from the EF1 or CTH was to go to the Woo WA6 (among the amps I heard or had on hand). As far as preferences go, I still preferred the CTH or EF1 over the other $100-400 amps on hand at the time I was comparing them (Millett SSH, Travagans, NOVO). I meant that I expect the EF5 to do as well or better than the EF1.
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post #41 of 295
11/21/09 at 7:02am
I haven't heard the CTH yet with the 6F8G..but from everything Smeggy tells me..it is supposed to be something special. I love the CTH cause it really lets you listen to the tube..nice buffer with lots of current to drive hard loads like orthos and compact as they come to boot.
It is not an EHHA for sure, but damn if I can fit the EHHA in my backpack

I actually on my way back from Canjam whipped out my CTh in the airport at night (while waiting for an early morning flight for 5 hours ) and was grooving with my Yamaha HP-2 orthos..what a sight that was.
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post #42 of 295
11/21/09 at 1:24pm
I see Fang's done it again. Quite a step up in size with the PSU. I suppose the next thing will be an EF6 beefed up version of the EF2 with a killer DAC?

Thanks for the Pics Larry ! The oval acrylic tube shield is an especially nice upgrade. Shipping the beast must be expensive. I'd say well worth the extra 100.00 over the EF1
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post #43 of 295
11/21/09 at 1:55pm
I think there will be better pics of the EF-5 + the PS soon
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post #44 of 295
11/21/09 at 2:33pm
I just placed my order

I think i will enjoy the EF-5 with my D7000
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post #45 of 295
11/21/09 at 2:42pm
Is there really any doubt that the EF5 will be better then the EF1? You guys are talking as if maybe the EF5 won't match the EF1, or that they are really close. That would not make any sense, it's obviously an improved/revised EF1. If nothing but the power supply changed I'd expect a nice improvement. Can you look at the OPAMP chip? Does it still use OPA275?

I don't know if I care for the tube shields, you can't use Tube Dampers with those, i'll probably run mine without them.
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