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- Jan 17, 2003
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If you haven't heard of Einar Sound, I suspect you soon will (and if you're reading this, now you have). They're a new company that has launched with the headphone amplifier VC-01i. I first found out about Einar from Skylab's recent review
Briefly, this is a balanced amp with single ended and balanced inputs and outputs; sorry, no 4 pin XLR.
It has one balanced output and two single ended. One input for RCA, and one for XLR. Source is switchable from the front panel.
The unit sells for $600 and is well priced for a balanced amp. Its closest competitor is the Little Dot MK VII balanced amp.
On initial listening with Denon MD5000 DE single ended headphones, I find the amp to be pretty neutral. However, I have been listening to a Caliente amp for the past several weeks, so any drop in bass response is going to sound neutral to me at first. Although the Caliente is a tipped toward the bass, it does it very well, and I would consider it a strength.
The "Vicki", as I like to call it, has a much more balanced sound, and while it lacks that bass punchiness the Caliente has, this is probably more true to life, if just a touch less fun.
What Vicki lacks in punch, she makes up for with smoothness. I was hearing some treble grain with the Caliente. I wasn't sure if it was coming from the amp or the sibiliance some people claim to be prevalent on the Denons. I'm only on my third CD (but I WAS going to go to bed after the first CD!) but so far I would say this amp has a very smooth sound. Whether or not that is due to some treble roll off is yet to be determined.
I'll have Vicki with me for this Saturday's NY meet, and then for a couple of weeks to do a full fledged review. I hope to be acquiring the proper cabling and headphones to be able to listen in balanced mode as well, especially since I have a balanced DAC. The next couple of weeks should be fun!
Briefly, this is a balanced amp with single ended and balanced inputs and outputs; sorry, no 4 pin XLR.
It has one balanced output and two single ended. One input for RCA, and one for XLR. Source is switchable from the front panel.
The unit sells for $600 and is well priced for a balanced amp. Its closest competitor is the Little Dot MK VII balanced amp.
On initial listening with Denon MD5000 DE single ended headphones, I find the amp to be pretty neutral. However, I have been listening to a Caliente amp for the past several weeks, so any drop in bass response is going to sound neutral to me at first. Although the Caliente is a tipped toward the bass, it does it very well, and I would consider it a strength.
The "Vicki", as I like to call it, has a much more balanced sound, and while it lacks that bass punchiness the Caliente has, this is probably more true to life, if just a touch less fun.
What Vicki lacks in punch, she makes up for with smoothness. I was hearing some treble grain with the Caliente. I wasn't sure if it was coming from the amp or the sibiliance some people claim to be prevalent on the Denons. I'm only on my third CD (but I WAS going to go to bed after the first CD!) but so far I would say this amp has a very smooth sound. Whether or not that is due to some treble roll off is yet to be determined.
I'll have Vicki with me for this Saturday's NY meet, and then for a couple of weeks to do a full fledged review. I hope to be acquiring the proper cabling and headphones to be able to listen in balanced mode as well, especially since I have a balanced DAC. The next couple of weeks should be fun!
