[kskwerl]

Quote:

Are you using the Ibasso balanced connection? I had the MD balanced with that iBasso connector and even then I kept it at about 80% but I always thought it sounded the best I've heard the MDs out of the Lyr/O2/ALO The International/Leckerton MKII. I had Top Flights Opamp kit as well

 

 

[spurxiii]

My MD's are SE so I cannot used balanced but I thought I'd blow my ears with the volume at 12 o'clock yet at 3 o'clock it's just as loud as I would listen to my JDS C5 on at the same setting. Mind you it sounds a lot better than the C5s. The sound is so much more dynamic and alive

 

[spurxiii]

Quote:

The unit includes rollable op amps. You might try the blue 797 in the gain (by the battery) and the high power buffers with the resistors on them (by the front). Great combo. Also set it to medium or high gain (manual is in the iBasso site).

As suggested I've set the jumpers to high gain and rolled in the high bandwidth buffers and 797 op-amps. Fingers crossed.
 

 

[spurxiii]

Sounds better with the 797s and the high bandwidth buffers. Thanks for the tip MrSpeakers!
 

 

[mrspeakers]

I think there was also some confusion on which jumpers are for high gain. I use mine on medium but have never maxed the pot.

 

[imackler]

If you've heard the 3.0 and 3.2, is the 3.2 just all around better than the 3.0 or are there some genres you might prefer to keep 3.0 for? 

 

[Greed]

Quote:

If you've heard the 3.0 and 3.2, is the 3.2 just all around better than the 3.0 or are there some genres you might prefer to keep 3.0 for? 

 
3.2 improves on the sound in almost every way. The only drawback might be the slightly less forward mids. Some may find the more foward mids of the 3.0 to better suit their tastes. 

 

[aamefford]

Quote:

Look what I got

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

 


Had a quick listen to my mad dogs via the iphone4s. Need it at about 85% volume to sound decent but it might be on low gain. Gotta play around with it

Came with no instructions so I'm not sure what to do with the chips supplied

Ahhh, the plain whit box with a treasure inside!  I use mine on low gain, seldom get above 10 o'clock.  The chips are all different from stock, differrent from others supplied and different from the topkit.  If interested, PM me, and I'll dig out the posts that say what they are (I bought it used and opamp rolled via the huge PB2 thread).  I can pop the lid and break out my magnifying visor and actually inspect as well if you'd like.  I switched back to low gain from medium just go get better volume knob travel.  I do listen a bit quieter than most, but jeeze, 12 o'clock on the dial would deafen an airline tarmac worker!

 

[aamefford]

Quote:

First off, Ibasso has an excellent reputation, as does CEntrance, Schiit and HRT among others.
 
Second, I doubt any will sound quite as good as an RA-1412 (assuming any electronic parts that have deteriorated with age are replaced).   The rep on that is tops, period.   The weight is for very good reasons:
 

I guess it would fit in a (big) backpack.  You'd need a long cord though...  Just kidding, and a sweet looking amp!

 

[Glow Fish]

Strangely, I have never plugged the LCD's directly into my Mac.
Now they have XLR terminations and I would have to make an adapter for that test.

My objective is a convenient, un-amplified solution. Middle of the road.
If they aren't going to sound "good"  (subjective, I know) without an amp and DAC, I'll swim down the food chain.

If they will, then it would be cool to make a 1/8">1/4">XLR adapter to plug into the 300B too.

I would look elsewhere for something that sounds decent straight from a Mac or phone. Perhaps Denon AH-D600.

 

[sceleratus]

Quote:

I would look elsewhere for something that sounds decent straight from a Mac or phone. Perhaps Denon AH-D600.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[imackler]

Quote:

 
3.2 improves on the sound in almost every way. The only drawback might be the slightly less forward mids. Some may find the more foward mids of the 3.0 to better suit their tastes. 

 
Do you consider the mids to be more neutral? Or is there more of a V-shaped frequency w/ 3.2? 
 
I may be losing my mind but I think I'm liking the 3.0 these better than my beloved HD600. Probably just infatuation and all...but the HD600 is sounding so thin in comparison.. 

 

[sceleratus]

EDIT:
For a headphone of that price the AH-D600 didn't exactly have glowing reviews.  Heck they're more than the MD's.
Don't get me wrong.  I greatly appreciate your opinion.
 
 I'm now thinking, it might be nice to get a MD 4-pin XLR cable too.  However I'll need a XLR Y-cable to connect to my 3 pin XLR female ports.  That'll be half the cost of the cans.    But then I can switch it up with the LCD2's   I see the little vents on them.  Are they open?
 
 
 

 

[kstuart]

Quote:

Quote:

 
3.2 improves on the sound in almost every way. The only drawback might be the slightly less forward mids. Some may find the more foward mids of the 3.0 to better suit their tastes. 

 
Do you consider the mids to be more neutral? Or is there more of a V-shaped frequency w/ 3.2? 
 
I may be losing my mind but I think I'm liking the 3.0 these better than my beloved HD600. Probably just infatuation and all...but the HD600 is sounding so thin in comparison.. 

I think that the 3.2 is the 3.0 done correctly.   The Alpha Pads were a significant improvement over previous pads for the Fostex phones, but they change the sound in ways that needed further adjustment, hence the changes in 3.2.   This is one reason that Dan offers the $30 upgrade from 3.0 to 3.2 (and even does it for free at meets and shows).
 
If you have 3.0, I recommend either having the 3.2 upgrade done OR waiting until the end of September when the program will start to upgrade Mad Dogs to Alpha Dogs for $300.

 

[imackler]

Quote:

I think that the 3.2 is the 3.0 done correctly.   The Alpha Pads were a significant improvement over previous pads for the Fostex phones, but they change the sound in ways that needed further adjustment, hence the changes in 3.2.   This is one reason that Dan offers the $30 upgrade from 3.0 to 3.2 (and even does it for free at meets and shows).
 
If you have 3.0, I recommend either having the 3.2 upgrade done OR waiting until the end of September when the program will start to upgrade Mad Dogs to Alpha Dogs for $300.

 
Thanks again! That's great to hear! 
 
I'm toying of getting a new set of 3.2 for home/portable, where I tend to listen to jazz, alternative, folk, etc. and then upgrading my 3.0 into Alpha Dogs (when that option becomes available for the office) where I do most of my listening and almost always classical.