[vkvedam]

Well everyone seems to be concentrating on the hiss part of the review. But I am not bothered about this hiss/noise which is very minimal. Seems like I should spend more time on the amps to get a better understanding of amps significance.

 

[littletree76]

I have the commercial final version of Novo for about a week and 200 hours of burn-in. I have listened through it with AGK K701 headphone and following sources:

- iPod nano > alloy LOD > Novo
- iMac > Cambridge Audio DAC Magic DAC > Novo
- TV set-top box > Octavart DAC/amplifier > Novo

In any configuration, the Novo has been dead silent without hiss when no output from the sources. Further more it provides better sound than my rolled iBasso P3 and Octavart headphone amplifiers when compared with same source. I particularly like the detail and transition speed of the Novo headphone amplifier. Passing 24V DC output from bundled switch mode power supply through Travagans Black power conditioner should further enhance the sound quality.

Make sure that you are not using internally amplified headphone output of Sony Disc player or iPod to drive Novo input (no in-line volume control). In this case original sound has already been heavily influenced by the cheap internal amplifier built into disc player or iPod before reaching Novo input. Thus don't expect too much of improvement Novo can bring when the source is not clean.

I don't really care how expensive are components in a headphone amplifier so long as it provide desirable output at reasonable price (you pay for what you get and don't expect free lunch). Novo kit set costs only half of commercial version, making its price even more favorable. Further more there is no restriction in use of quality components in a kit set as compared with commercial version which is subjected to marketing/manufacturing considerations.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vkvedam /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was and am still puzzled looking at this piece of equipment costing a bit. All that it has got is plenty of gain to drive monstrous headphones with a noticeable hiss. And it had put me in a situation where my mind has started to think that investing in a budget stationary amplifier would be a waste and I would rather save up towards a more expensive and rewarding mid to high end amplifier. Or else I would just go with something like a Corda 3Move or iBasso D10 as these two little monsters serve more than a purpose or two and I can actually plug in my headphones/IEMs to my PC and enjoy hours of music at a much higher level. They are even portable and I don’t have to sit near a plug point all the time. On the other side of this write up you could say I haven’t got a proper high end source. Well in that case I need to look into spending on a high end source rather than spending it on this budget amplifier. In fact with out this amplifier I can still spot differences with all the gear that I have and it adds nothing to me and I am not missing this at all. Comments and suggestions are quite welcome.

The NOVO is acting like a wire with gain (WWG) in your setup, so it will sound just like your source. Funny how everyone says that is what an amp should be (WWG), and then when it doesn't sound different than your iPod or CDP that is a bad thing.

Upgrade your source (transport and DAC) and see what happens.

PS: Hiss: I noted in my review that the hiss/noise was much better with a regulated power supply like Sigma 11 or Travagans Black.

 

[vkvedam]

Sounds like I should have spent more time to get a better understanding of the amps. Well in either case I didn't buy it and I haven't got it with me anymore. I'll be back with a more prolific and detailed review in my next audition.

 

[mrarroyo]

I own a Novo and I am currently listening to it using an Ultrasone HFI-780. IMO these two have it going on and it is a very nice sounding combo.

I wonder if you used a cable to ground the Novo using the grounding post on the back of the unit. The Novo uses a switching PSU and in order to get read of some residual nasties you ground the amp.

I have a kit board which is Version 2 on the way, I will build it and compare it w/ the Beta Novo I have from last August. To recap the Novo w/ the HFI-780 sounds great! IMO of course.

PD: No hiss.

 

[Cankin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scootermafia /img/forum/go_quote.gif A good tube amp is going to be hard to beat on HD650s. A more substantial amp like the M3 for the same money is going to destroy the Novo. It's probably a better deal than the Solo which has even less going on inside than the Novo and costs nearly twice as much for some odd reason. None of this surprises me, someone had the courage to come forward and admit the Novo was nothing special rather than lying to themself and us. These things are put together with ordinary-grade parts...I don't see any boutique caps, Dale resistors, or Alps volume pots...just the cheapest stuff available. I know design is important, but I do think that building the Novo kit with top shelf parts would improve its sound. An M3 is just in a higher class and is built on a larger scale than amps like the Novo and Headamp Gilmore Lite, though, you can't expect a commercial amp to sound as good as a DIY amp for the same price.

I don't know why you're so biased against Glite since, 1) you've not heard it, 2) Glite is based on Dynalo which is a DIY amp, 3) ambiguous and confusing definition of "larger scale".

By doing so, you're only to discredit yourself.

 

[Lucabeer]

And actually, as far as I know, Graham Slee DOES use Alps volume pots...

 

[anoobis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif The NOVO is acting like a wire with gain (WWG) in your setup, so it will sound just like your source. Funny how everyone says that is what an amp should be (WWG), and then when it doesn't sound different than your iPod or CDP that is a bad thing.

Ah, but we're forever being told that an amp is required to drive the 'phones properly.

Therefore the expectation is that the improved control of the headphones will improve (or at least change) the sound, regardless of the quality of the source. If this doesn't happen, the conclusion is that source could drive the headphones well enough.

My opinion:

This, I think, is where synergy comes in. The (integrated) source really needs to be considered as signal -> amp.

An amp cannot improve a signal, it can only limit the extent to which it is degraded while driving a load. So, if the signal is not great (poor slew rate etc.) it may be that the integrated amp can replicate this while driving the load (HP). The external amp when fed the same signal (line out) can only match the integrated amp.

Only with a better signal, will the differences in amplifiers become apparent.

So, the conclusion that the source could drive the HP well enough is half right. It could drive them well enough for the signal it produces.

You therefore need to find a better source to separate amps and only when you can separate them will you know the source is better!

Does that make sense?

I'm still not entirely convinced by this myself when it comes to high impedance headphones. These surely require larger voltages and especially so for percussion hits (slew rate again). So, the difference with an external amp vs internal, 3-6V amp must be obvious, no? Can the signal really make that much difference?

 

[ferraro25]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vkvedam /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sounds like I should have spent more time to get a better understanding of the amps. Well in either case I didn't buy it and I haven't got it with me anymore. I'll be back with a more prolific and detailed review in my next audition.

Again, I'd suggest that you look into tube amps. There is scientific fact that tube amps change the sound by adding harmonic distortion. You will hear a difference.

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

... You therefore need to find a better source to separate amps and only when you can separate them will you know the source is better! ...

Totally agree, I will try to use an analogy. If your source is an AM Radio then you will have a hard time telling how much better a GS-X is over a CMOY. On the other hand if you are using a Meridian G08.2 w/ a pair of high quality IC's you will easily be able to tell the difference GS-X is the superior amp, provided you are also using a pair of high quality headphones.

 

[vkvedam]

In that case how a portable amplifier can improve the sound quality of an MP3 player or something like an iPod. Now I am totally confused. If a good home amp can't bring anything a part from gain factor, how could a portable amp bring that improvement.

My only conclusion is that I need to train my ears and need to spend a lot of time with amps (Either portable or stationary) to appreciate the subtle changes they bring.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vkvedam /img/forum/go_quote.gif In that case how a portable amplifier can improve the sound quality of an MP3 player or something like an iPod. Now I am totally confused. If a good home amp can't bring anything a part from gain factor, how could a portable amp bring that improvement. My only conclusion is that I need to train my ears and need to spend a lot of time with amps (Either portable or stationary) to appreciate the subtle changes they bring.

The line out dock of the iPod is a higher quality than the headphone out. The amp on the LOD is like a buffer with gain, so you can plug headphones into the line out and enjoy the better sound.

 

[vkvedam]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif The line out dock of the iPod is a higher quality than the headphone out. The amp on the LOD is like a buffer with gain, so you can plug headphones into the line out and enjoy the better sound.

But did you make a note of my normal listening way. I use Shure's attenuator straight out the female dock to connect my headphones. It's a lot better compared to the headphone out. In that way I couldn't find noticeable difference with the amp a part from gain. That's why I am saying my ears need more training when it comes to amp.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vkvedam /img/forum/go_quote.gif But did you make a note of my normal listening way. I use Shure's attenuator straight out the female dock to connect my headphones. It's a lot better compared to the headphone out. In that way I couldn't find noticeable difference with the amp a part from gain. That's why I am saying my ears need more training when it comes to amp.

The impedance is all mismatched and it wont sound like it is supposed to when you listen to the line out.

 

[anoobis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Totally agree, ...

Got something right, back of the net

Quote:

Originally Posted by vkvedam /img/forum/go_quote.gif In that case how a portable amplifier can improve the sound quality of an MP3 player or something like an iPod. Now I am totally confused. If a good home amp can't bring anything a part from gain factor, how could a portable amp bring that improvement.

I'm misunderstanding something here. Are you saying that you've tried a portable amp and the Novo and you think the portable amp is better?

You've already stated that the iPod sounds much better through the line out than through the HP out. Effectively you've replaced one amp with another and it's improved the sound. Job done.

If you're saying that you did LOD -> HP and LOD -> Novo -> HP and couldn't tell the difference then it seems that the LOD can drive your HP as well as the Novo for the iPod. You need to match the volumes for a fair test. You'll need to try a better source to tell whether the Novo improves. Unfortunately that source can never go through the LOD of the iPod for a comparison.