The "Lovely Cube" Headphone Amp (Lehmann Black Cube Linear Clone) - Page 8

Quote:

Originally Posted by stau 

Hello

I greet all here in forum
sorry for bad english I only had three years of the language at school and I was not the best :-)

I have "lovely" before getting two days
I bought everything including: alluminum box, connections, everything

after 13 days, it was super na Germany

the supplier as I said super packed, everything was great and so nice fast objectively

I have connected it directly to NAD CD player, analog output

12 hours I hear it and tell me everything is wonderful! The wide, airy, accuracy, better than Matrix M-Stage (I immediately sold)

my headphones hifman HE5 works very well with "Lovely"

I write more on this later

So you got it shipped to germany?

How much did you pay for custom taxes?

Also, what are the general custom taxes in Germany? Usually in Italy it's about 20%, but i'll live in Germany next year, and i'll receive several things from china and us .

Did you prefer the lovely with default opamp to the matrix?
 

Hi, just one question. Stock opamps in lovely cube should be same as in Lehmann BLC?

How much did you pay for custom taxes?


>>>>>  19,95 %


Did you prefer the lovely with default opamp to the matrix?

Lovely standart OPA
Matrix standart OPA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bina 

Hi, just one question. Stock opamps in lovely cube should be same as in Lehmann BLC?

If what i red on the web is correct, the answer is yes.

I had possibility "Lovely" test them "Grado HP-1000"!

great, wonderful recommendation!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bina 

Hi, just one question. Stock opamps in lovely cube should be same as in Lehmann BLC?

Yea OPA2134 the same stock opamp in the Lehmann BLC as it is  in the Lovely Cube, but it doesn't have to be.  There are better~

I know you can get better and I will probably get  one, but I would like to compare lovely cube directly to BLC.

@fracisde....

yes
I had "Matrix M-Stage" is right! 1 weeks both

and now I keep "Lovely"

tested with headphones = Hifiman HE5, and borrowed HD800, Denon 7000, grado

but he is my Hifiman 5


- Low hum and noise at "M-Stage," "Lovely" is silent!
- "Lovely" costs less, gold-plated RCA input, OPA easily replaceable
- "M-Stage" has only 1 output for headphones
- Bass in "M-Stage" little worse than "Lovely" but still good
- Extremely wide stage "M - Stage" but "Lovely" has greater space
- All instruments, can be separated and locatable wonderful, both the same
- Both are proffesionel / better suited for ortho dynamic headphones
- Exception HD800 headphones which were both very good!
- Denon 7000 was not as good as HD800
- "M Stage" and "Lovely" play a lot better with "Hifiman HE5" and "Grado HP-1000
- Both processing, edge, screw, looks good
- Both are warm but not hot after 3 hours, very good

I have "Lovely" For me to keep slightly better
End

stau

PS:  I had "The Matrix" mini-i "--- unfortunately, was very bad when I compare it with
"Lovely"

^ Good to know the LC is the winner!

I'm odering another one! (not for balanced though)

I have the HLLY DMK-IV, which uses pretty much the same circuit for its headphone amp.  I love the DMK-IV's DAC, but the headphone amp is...just ok.  I'm really considering getting this "lovely" just to see if it sounds better than the built in version of it included with the HLLY unit.

I could test any MOD work on the "lovely" before incorporating it into the HLLY unit.  I'd really rather have an DAC headamp combo, so my goal would be to get the HLLY sounding better.  All the talk on how good this "lovely" unit sounds has me wondering what could be done to get the HLLY unit to sound as good, considering it is the same design. 

Is this a crazy idea?  Or should I just start the smd desoldering routine and start switching opamps in the HLLY?

First comment - the Lovelycube, Matrix M-Stage and Lehmann Black Cube Linear all use the same circuit design - there has already been one posting on here saying that the LC sounds better than the MS.... other reviews have compared BCL and MS and said they sound the same...

Basically how the circuit is laid out and the quality of the parts will evidently change the sound - so although the design is well nigh identical - the implementation is not.

If the LC sounds the same as the DMk-IV - then the same improvements via Opamps MIGHT (!) apply - differences in power supply regulation and current capability may change the sound as you play with opamps.... eg: OPA2604 has relatively poor power supply noise rejection - anything that comes through the power supply is likely to affect the sound far more than something like LT1028 (PSRR of 80dB vs 135dB - huge difference!)

If Biasing in class A - you will need additional current capability - not a huge amount (say 10mA tops) - but it depends how close the PSU's design is to the units consumption - and whether it is stressed at peak times....

In other words YMMV

(But I am really enjoying the OPA637 class A in my M-Stage.....)

Got myself another Lovely Cube and it came today. I got the Class A biasing adapters and the OPA627AUs from the seller too, so I'll be writing some impressions later after I burn in my capacitors.

I've changed the Elna RE3 470uF 35V caps for equivalent Panasonic FM ones going to the buffer stage and Rubycon ZLH 680uF 35V caps going to the opamp. I don't see the need to bypass the 4 electrolytics to the buffer and my sources actually have some pretty bad DC offset so these re all the "mods" for now.

 
Stephen had made some changes to the board, and here are pics of them:

1. Nichicon KG Gold Tune 4700uF 50V replaces the Elna for Audio 4700uF 35V

2. Different LEDs from the "first version"?

More pics:

3. Panasonic FM capacitors are taller and also fit into the same footprint

4. So are the Rubycon capacitors seen here with the stock OPA2134

5. OPA627AU with a Class A adapter

6. LT1028ACN8s on DIY adapter

7. And lastly the front with a naked pot shaft! (sorry for the colour cast, it was just a quick snap)

Aspenx, when did you place your order? I still haven't got mine yet. 

I ordered it a little more than a week back.

Shipping from HK to here (Singapore) by registered mail has never exceeded more than 6 days for me. This particular package was at the local post office despatch centre already on Monday but I only got it on Wednesday. You might want to check with your local post office if you're having any unusual delays. If the seller has shipped it out, you should have received a tracking number from him.