scootermafia
MOT: Double Helix Cables
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- Nov 24, 2008
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Well, the Sigma-11 power supply came today from Rockhopper Audio, for the low, low price of $200 shipped. Came out of the box looking sexy.
UPDATED with more info...
The unit: Pretty simple - it has the same aluminum case as the M3. Its front panel has a single tiny centered orange LED to let you know it's alive. In the back, there's an umbilical to connect it to the M3. A standard IEC inlet with an on/off switch connects a power cable of your choosing. You can put the M3 on top of it, so that they can be friends. Together, they will work to make your music sound good.
Parts:
This is a well made power supply packed with expensive parts. The 1500uf 63v nichicon caps in the power supply are nice. The Avel Lindberg 30va torroidal transformer inside is worth $37. The IEC inlet is a Schurter DC11, which is worth $9. The resistors are entirely Dale Vishay. There are four Schottky rectifier chips, and the power is transistor corrected with 17A MOSFETs connected to large Aavid black aluminum heatsinks and is also handled by six bipolar transistors. Lots of boutique parts in here make it well worth the $200 as it is built to last. The thick black aluminum enclosure keeps everything cool and it's nice that it's the same one as the M3 has.
The sound: A substantial ($200 = worth it) improvement in the sound. The soundstage widened slightly, sounds were more transparent and detailed. There was a sense of blackness and a clearer space for the sound with no sense of strain. Bass was deeper and more controlled. Midrange harshness was limited to nonexistent. Highs were as crisp as before but unfatiguing. The amp went up a notch in refinedment. This is a must have, and if you own an M3 without one, you should pray that you get the next available one from Stephen. I have both power supplies plugged in so that I can A/B, and it's a night and day difference - the amp just has a more effortless sound that has just tightened up significantly, like you are at the eye doctor and they show you lense 1 and lense 2 and you are picking the sharp lens. Still, the power supply keeps the sound moderately warm and not analytical enough to ruin the music...still, every detail comes through and bad recordings will stay bad.
I will reiterate one thing...while my 336SE is fixed (Bendix Crosley very old 6SN7 for $15 on ebay, eat that + 6N8P cleartop RCA) and does not hum and has sexy tubes in it (have not fitz modded yet and won't for now) and has very competent and appealing sound that threatens the M3 greatly, I think the M3 will work with a wide array of headphones (my super low impedance Sonys are doable with it) and it is unparalleled in listening pleasure for rock, electronic, rap, anything that demands detail and precision over a thick, sultry sound. The areas that the 336 surpasses the M3 are subtle, but it is not subtle the ways the M3 beats the 336, if that makes any sense. The M3 in other words is nearly as good at certain genres (jazz, light vocal stuff) while greatly surpassing the 336 in other areas with this power supply added to the mix.
Updates will occur when the 627/637 op amps come, and I have taken under advisement the different AD op amps i was recommended, but I am sticking with burr brown for now.
Some pictures:
The stack:
Yes, my 336 is looking sexy, you don't need to tell me...
Inside the little beast:
Come on, do you really want this powering your M3? I cracked open a comparable wall wart from a defunct possession of mine - enjoy!
UPDATED with more info...
The unit: Pretty simple - it has the same aluminum case as the M3. Its front panel has a single tiny centered orange LED to let you know it's alive. In the back, there's an umbilical to connect it to the M3. A standard IEC inlet with an on/off switch connects a power cable of your choosing. You can put the M3 on top of it, so that they can be friends. Together, they will work to make your music sound good.
Parts:
This is a well made power supply packed with expensive parts. The 1500uf 63v nichicon caps in the power supply are nice. The Avel Lindberg 30va torroidal transformer inside is worth $37. The IEC inlet is a Schurter DC11, which is worth $9. The resistors are entirely Dale Vishay. There are four Schottky rectifier chips, and the power is transistor corrected with 17A MOSFETs connected to large Aavid black aluminum heatsinks and is also handled by six bipolar transistors. Lots of boutique parts in here make it well worth the $200 as it is built to last. The thick black aluminum enclosure keeps everything cool and it's nice that it's the same one as the M3 has.
The sound: A substantial ($200 = worth it) improvement in the sound. The soundstage widened slightly, sounds were more transparent and detailed. There was a sense of blackness and a clearer space for the sound with no sense of strain. Bass was deeper and more controlled. Midrange harshness was limited to nonexistent. Highs were as crisp as before but unfatiguing. The amp went up a notch in refinedment. This is a must have, and if you own an M3 without one, you should pray that you get the next available one from Stephen. I have both power supplies plugged in so that I can A/B, and it's a night and day difference - the amp just has a more effortless sound that has just tightened up significantly, like you are at the eye doctor and they show you lense 1 and lense 2 and you are picking the sharp lens. Still, the power supply keeps the sound moderately warm and not analytical enough to ruin the music...still, every detail comes through and bad recordings will stay bad.
I will reiterate one thing...while my 336SE is fixed (Bendix Crosley very old 6SN7 for $15 on ebay, eat that + 6N8P cleartop RCA) and does not hum and has sexy tubes in it (have not fitz modded yet and won't for now) and has very competent and appealing sound that threatens the M3 greatly, I think the M3 will work with a wide array of headphones (my super low impedance Sonys are doable with it) and it is unparalleled in listening pleasure for rock, electronic, rap, anything that demands detail and precision over a thick, sultry sound. The areas that the 336 surpasses the M3 are subtle, but it is not subtle the ways the M3 beats the 336, if that makes any sense. The M3 in other words is nearly as good at certain genres (jazz, light vocal stuff) while greatly surpassing the 336 in other areas with this power supply added to the mix.
Updates will occur when the 627/637 op amps come, and I have taken under advisement the different AD op amps i was recommended, but I am sticking with burr brown for now.
Some pictures:
The stack:
Yes, my 336 is looking sexy, you don't need to tell me...
Inside the little beast:
Come on, do you really want this powering your M3? I cracked open a comparable wall wart from a defunct possession of mine - enjoy!
