I've borrowed a Rega Ear for a few days, so I thought a quick comparison to my MAD Ear++ was in order. 
Tubes vs. solid state, kinda interesting.
I also borrowed a Beyer DT860, properly burned in.
[size=small]Source: [/size]
CD-player: T+A CD 1230 R (Costs $2000 new)
[size=small]Amplification: [/size]
MAD Ear++ with Auricaps, Alps Blue Velvet and an excellent 5-star GE triple-mica 5751 tube. ($435). Note that it is now replaced by a Ear++ II, which is supposed to be even better.
Rega Ear, completely stock. ($225 at www.amusicdirect.com)
[size=small]Cables: [/size]
Just a Cardas 300-B Micro interconnect. Headphone cables are all stock.
[size=small]Music used:[/size]
Mostly Mark Knopfler "Sailing to Philadelphia" because of it's excellent recording. I find it particularly efficient to pick out nuances over the whole frequency range in phones. I used a few other CDs for confirmation when in doubt.
[size=small]Headphones used: [/size]
- Beyerdynamic DT531 (Discontinued, but retailed at about $130 - $160)
- Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (Headroom: $229)
- Beyerdynamic DT860 (Meier-Audio: $235)
- Beyerdynamic DT880 (Meier-Audio: $265)
- Audio-Technica ATH-W1000 (Audiocubes: $459)
All should be properly burned in.
NB! This is by no means a scientific controlled test, just me having some fun over a few evenings.
[size=medium]Comparisons: [/size]
Beyerdynamic DT860 (32 ohm)
Oh man, what a difference between the two amps! The 32 ohm DT860 sounds thin and harsh from the solid state Rega. Also, I can barely move the volume control before it's too loud. If max volume is 20, I can't go past 1,5 - 2 before it gets unpleasantly loud to me.
The highs are brighter and a bit grainy. I even detect some sibilance sometimes. I guess you can say there are more details with the Rega, but they are fatiguing and grainy. The MAD is just so smooth and liquid in comparison.
Somehow, the soundstage feels smaller on the Rega, maybe because the highs feels closer and upfront. The great vocals of Knopfler and guests looses some warmth and body with the Rega.
I don't think there are too much difference in the deepest bass, but the midbass and lower midrange suffer on the Rega. This creates a thin and cold sound. The MAD seems to lift the midrange up into the soundstage, where the Rega emphasises the highs, overpowering the midrange.
Nope, didn't like the Rega much with the DT860. Harsh, thin and bright vs. smooth, warm, pleasant, lively and fun. They're not even close.
Every time I had listened a while to the Rega, and plugged in the MAD, I felt my shoulders lowering and the body just went "ahhhhhh..." Not very scientific, but what the heck.
The MAD is damn fine sounding with the Beyer DT860.
But I can imagine the Rega will benefit a lot from an adapter that raises the impedance, when used with the DT860.
Beyerdynamic DT880 (250 ohm)
Now I can turn the volume knob quite a bit further, as the DT880 is a lot less efficient. But I feel anyting beyond 5-6 (of 20) gets unpleasantly loud.
The Rega is clearly better with high-impedance phones. The differences is definitely less noticeable. Still, it's the same differences I hear; the MAD brings forth the midrange, and Rega the highs.
The highs on the Rega isn't grainy or harsh when I use the DT880, but it's still emphasised, which shrinks the soundstage. The MAD is again smoother and warmer. The Rega's sibilance I noticed with the DT860 seems to be reduced a lot, almost non-existent now.
Deepbass isn't much different between the two amps. The Rega does much better in the midbass/lower midrange region with the DT880, but still lacks something in the midrange when directly compared to the MAD, I guess it's some details and smoothness. The MAD just makes the whole soundstage seem more coherent and natural, if that makes any sense.
Oddly enough, the MAD seems to have more control over the bass, it's tighter and harder, just more fun. Hmm...I thought solid state was supposed to be superior here.
All in all a good outing for the Rega, it likes the DT880 higher impedance a lot, and there's plenty of power. But the MAD got more control over the whole range and still wins comfortably. My body still goes "aaahhhh..." when I plug in the MAD.
By the way, I still prefer my DT880 to the DT860, but the difference is VERY minor.
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (250 ohm)
Actually feels a little more efficient than the DT880, maybe it's because the DT770 is closed? The Rega likes the DT770s because of the impedance. The story is quite similar to the DT880s.
But Rega still emphasises the highs a little, and MAD still love the midrange. This is particularly noticable with the DT770s with its recessed midrange. Now I know why I like the DT770s so much, the MAD really helps to control the bass and bring forth the midrange. It still isn't a very "correct" or balanced phone, but it shows that it really needs good amplification.
The MAD controls the bass-region better than the Rega, not by very much, but it's clearly noticable.
As with the DT880, the differences between the two amps aren't huge, but they are definitely noticable. The MAD really likes the DT770 and gets the best from it, where the Rega emphasise the highs, which the DT770 doesn't need. The MAD still wins comfortably.
Beyerdynamic DT531 (250 ohm)
Another 250 ohm phone, which the Rega likes. About as efficient as the DT770, maybe slightly more.
History repeats itself. Same differences as the DT880 and DT770, maybe a tad less noticable. I think the DT531 isn't as picky when it comes to amplification as the other two. Make no mistake, the DT531 definitely deserves an amp, but a Singlepower Supra would be slightly overkill.
Soundstage is smaller with the Rega, again because of the more upfront presentation in the highs. Please note that the highs are by no means bright or unpleasant with the Rega, just...closer.
Bass-region seems pretty similar, but again, the MAD got better punch and control. Just more fun. Hmm...the DT531 actually got a great bass-response.
A closer call this time, but the MAD wins again. It's more organic and natural, hard to explain. But when you look at the price tags, it's very close.
Audio-Technica ATH-W1000 (40 ohm)
Let's finish with another low-impedance phone.
The W1000 is quite efficient, not far from the DT860. I used about the same volume position as the DT860.
The differences aren't as pronounced as with the DT860, it's somewhere in between that and the 250 ohm Beyers. The W1000 is brighter and thinner with the Rega, but not too bad actually. The MAD adds midrange and warmth, which the W1000 needs.
The most noticable difference is actually in the bass-region. The MAD really shines here, the W1000 is more punchy and fun than with the Rega. I guess it's the midbass that does this.
Another win for the MAD, but not as clear as with the DT860, I guess the W1000 must be designed differently, because the 8 ohm difference shouldn't be responsible for all that difference, or should it?
Anyway, the W1000 is warmer, more balanced and just more fun with the MAD. Again, more coherence.
[size=medium]Conclusion[/size]
The Rega Ear IS a very nice headphone amp, considering the price. When compared directly to the tubed MAD Ear++, its weaknesses shows, especially with low-impedance phones. The differences using the DT860 was major.
But if you got high-impedance phones that needs plenty of power, the Rega deserves consideration. It's damned fine for the money. Ideally, you should have the opportunity to try it out first.
It was a little surprising to notice that the tubed MAD got better control over the bass. Isn't solid state supposed to rule here? Of course, the MAD costs over twice as much, that could be a part of the explanation.
Is the MAD Ear++ worth the extra money? Yes, I think it is. It adds...something...which I like a lot. It does magnificent things to the midrange. But with some phones, especially the DT531, it's a very close call. I guess you need really good phones to make the most of the MADs potential. Otherwise, the Rega is a great choice.
If you got a Rega Ear, get a 120 ohm adapter to experiment with. I think it really could make a difference. I didn't get to try it myself, but I hope to do that sometime.
Please consider that these findings are mainly based on one persons taste and one headphone setup. Your taste might differ.
Let me know if you've got any comments and feedback. Also, please ask if something is unclear, my english vocabulary is quite limited.
JL
Tubes vs. solid state, kinda interesting.
I also borrowed a Beyer DT860, properly burned in.
[size=small]Source: [/size]
CD-player: T+A CD 1230 R (Costs $2000 new)
[size=small]Amplification: [/size]
MAD Ear++ with Auricaps, Alps Blue Velvet and an excellent 5-star GE triple-mica 5751 tube. ($435). Note that it is now replaced by a Ear++ II, which is supposed to be even better.
Rega Ear, completely stock. ($225 at www.amusicdirect.com)
[size=small]Cables: [/size]
Just a Cardas 300-B Micro interconnect. Headphone cables are all stock.
[size=small]Music used:[/size]
Mostly Mark Knopfler "Sailing to Philadelphia" because of it's excellent recording. I find it particularly efficient to pick out nuances over the whole frequency range in phones. I used a few other CDs for confirmation when in doubt.
[size=small]Headphones used: [/size]
- Beyerdynamic DT531 (Discontinued, but retailed at about $130 - $160)
- Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (Headroom: $229)
- Beyerdynamic DT860 (Meier-Audio: $235)
- Beyerdynamic DT880 (Meier-Audio: $265)
- Audio-Technica ATH-W1000 (Audiocubes: $459)
All should be properly burned in.
NB! This is by no means a scientific controlled test, just me having some fun over a few evenings.
[size=medium]Comparisons: [/size]
Beyerdynamic DT860 (32 ohm)
Oh man, what a difference between the two amps! The 32 ohm DT860 sounds thin and harsh from the solid state Rega. Also, I can barely move the volume control before it's too loud. If max volume is 20, I can't go past 1,5 - 2 before it gets unpleasantly loud to me.
The highs are brighter and a bit grainy. I even detect some sibilance sometimes. I guess you can say there are more details with the Rega, but they are fatiguing and grainy. The MAD is just so smooth and liquid in comparison.
Somehow, the soundstage feels smaller on the Rega, maybe because the highs feels closer and upfront. The great vocals of Knopfler and guests looses some warmth and body with the Rega.
I don't think there are too much difference in the deepest bass, but the midbass and lower midrange suffer on the Rega. This creates a thin and cold sound. The MAD seems to lift the midrange up into the soundstage, where the Rega emphasises the highs, overpowering the midrange.
Nope, didn't like the Rega much with the DT860. Harsh, thin and bright vs. smooth, warm, pleasant, lively and fun. They're not even close.
Every time I had listened a while to the Rega, and plugged in the MAD, I felt my shoulders lowering and the body just went "ahhhhhh..." Not very scientific, but what the heck.
The MAD is damn fine sounding with the Beyer DT860.
But I can imagine the Rega will benefit a lot from an adapter that raises the impedance, when used with the DT860.
Beyerdynamic DT880 (250 ohm)
Now I can turn the volume knob quite a bit further, as the DT880 is a lot less efficient. But I feel anyting beyond 5-6 (of 20) gets unpleasantly loud.
The Rega is clearly better with high-impedance phones. The differences is definitely less noticeable. Still, it's the same differences I hear; the MAD brings forth the midrange, and Rega the highs.
The highs on the Rega isn't grainy or harsh when I use the DT880, but it's still emphasised, which shrinks the soundstage. The MAD is again smoother and warmer. The Rega's sibilance I noticed with the DT860 seems to be reduced a lot, almost non-existent now.
Deepbass isn't much different between the two amps. The Rega does much better in the midbass/lower midrange region with the DT880, but still lacks something in the midrange when directly compared to the MAD, I guess it's some details and smoothness. The MAD just makes the whole soundstage seem more coherent and natural, if that makes any sense.
Oddly enough, the MAD seems to have more control over the bass, it's tighter and harder, just more fun. Hmm...I thought solid state was supposed to be superior here.
All in all a good outing for the Rega, it likes the DT880 higher impedance a lot, and there's plenty of power. But the MAD got more control over the whole range and still wins comfortably. My body still goes "aaahhhh..." when I plug in the MAD.
By the way, I still prefer my DT880 to the DT860, but the difference is VERY minor.
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (250 ohm)
Actually feels a little more efficient than the DT880, maybe it's because the DT770 is closed? The Rega likes the DT770s because of the impedance. The story is quite similar to the DT880s.
But Rega still emphasises the highs a little, and MAD still love the midrange. This is particularly noticable with the DT770s with its recessed midrange. Now I know why I like the DT770s so much, the MAD really helps to control the bass and bring forth the midrange. It still isn't a very "correct" or balanced phone, but it shows that it really needs good amplification.
The MAD controls the bass-region better than the Rega, not by very much, but it's clearly noticable.
As with the DT880, the differences between the two amps aren't huge, but they are definitely noticable. The MAD really likes the DT770 and gets the best from it, where the Rega emphasise the highs, which the DT770 doesn't need. The MAD still wins comfortably.
Beyerdynamic DT531 (250 ohm)
Another 250 ohm phone, which the Rega likes. About as efficient as the DT770, maybe slightly more.
History repeats itself. Same differences as the DT880 and DT770, maybe a tad less noticable. I think the DT531 isn't as picky when it comes to amplification as the other two. Make no mistake, the DT531 definitely deserves an amp, but a Singlepower Supra would be slightly overkill.
Soundstage is smaller with the Rega, again because of the more upfront presentation in the highs. Please note that the highs are by no means bright or unpleasant with the Rega, just...closer.
Bass-region seems pretty similar, but again, the MAD got better punch and control. Just more fun. Hmm...the DT531 actually got a great bass-response.
A closer call this time, but the MAD wins again. It's more organic and natural, hard to explain. But when you look at the price tags, it's very close.
Audio-Technica ATH-W1000 (40 ohm)
Let's finish with another low-impedance phone.
The W1000 is quite efficient, not far from the DT860. I used about the same volume position as the DT860.
The differences aren't as pronounced as with the DT860, it's somewhere in between that and the 250 ohm Beyers. The W1000 is brighter and thinner with the Rega, but not too bad actually. The MAD adds midrange and warmth, which the W1000 needs.
The most noticable difference is actually in the bass-region. The MAD really shines here, the W1000 is more punchy and fun than with the Rega. I guess it's the midbass that does this.
Another win for the MAD, but not as clear as with the DT860, I guess the W1000 must be designed differently, because the 8 ohm difference shouldn't be responsible for all that difference, or should it?
Anyway, the W1000 is warmer, more balanced and just more fun with the MAD. Again, more coherence.
[size=medium]Conclusion[/size]
The Rega Ear IS a very nice headphone amp, considering the price. When compared directly to the tubed MAD Ear++, its weaknesses shows, especially with low-impedance phones. The differences using the DT860 was major.
But if you got high-impedance phones that needs plenty of power, the Rega deserves consideration. It's damned fine for the money. Ideally, you should have the opportunity to try it out first.
It was a little surprising to notice that the tubed MAD got better control over the bass. Isn't solid state supposed to rule here? Of course, the MAD costs over twice as much, that could be a part of the explanation.
Is the MAD Ear++ worth the extra money? Yes, I think it is. It adds...something...which I like a lot. It does magnificent things to the midrange. But with some phones, especially the DT531, it's a very close call. I guess you need really good phones to make the most of the MADs potential. Otherwise, the Rega is a great choice.
If you got a Rega Ear, get a 120 ohm adapter to experiment with. I think it really could make a difference. I didn't get to try it myself, but I hope to do that sometime.
Please consider that these findings are mainly based on one persons taste and one headphone setup. Your taste might differ.
Let me know if you've got any comments and feedback. Also, please ask if something is unclear, my english vocabulary is quite limited.
JL
