[Br777]

@Br777.  I think your source may be a bottleneck for Ef5 and Asgard.    I have already discounted all portable amp as not worthwhile for home use.
 

I'm not sure what you mean...  is your second sentance supposed to relate to the second, or are you making two seperate points.
 
are you saying my computer is a weak link? if so im confused.   Well actually im just confused... please extrapolate...

 

[chesebert]

the "portable" part was a separate point.  Sorry about the confusion.
 
Your DAC might be inadequate to appreciate either amp properly.  (is it one of those 'ebay' DACs?)
 
Quote:

I'm not sure what you mean...  is your second sentance supposed to relate to the second, or are you making two seperate points.
 
are you saying my computer is a weak link? if so im confused.   Well actually im just confused... please extrapolate...

 

[Br777]

yeeeeeeees it is, well sort of.. Keces is a brand in Taiwan that sells to the US via Ebay, so its not technically one of those Ebay dacs.   The MK 1 actually got lots of reviews on this site and others and faired pretty well for its price
 
I often wonder if My dac is becoming a weak link... but given my monthly income of ..jack squat... ill have to figure out what else i can sell before i can get a better one, and I'm pretty much out of stuff to sell.. and my wallet is still in therapy from my overspending-a-la-thunderpants... so you get the idea...
 

 

[Br777]

Well, the paramedics, and surgeons have preformed a miracle and ressurected the zen head from certain doom, and its back for round two, still warm and ready to open fire.
 
Now Playing:  Alanis Moorisette.  Feast on Scraps.  A man
 
alanis can sing like an amazon wild woman, and this song sort of has a rock electronic fusion thing going on.  thumpy bass, grungy guitar, and some kind of tripped out synthesizer piano stuff.  bass, drums.. and lots of effects on everything...
 
and the zen head is up and firing away....
and the song is over..
 
Ef5 comes in swinging... mmmm hmmm
 
well right off the bat ive gotta give it to the ef5.. given that the song starts off with just vocals, thats sort of a no brainer
 
and to the ef5 again as the rest of the song kicks in...  
 
well.. maybe letting the zen head continue to battle is not such a good idea... its kinda getting trounced.
 
 

 

[Br777]

but...  im still listening to music, so i might as well keep with true to form and ramble on...
 
on deck is BIG OL Aretha Franklin... She sounds as fat as she looks... luckily she sounds better than she looks -

   but were not here to judge aretha
album - so damn happy - song - the only thing thats missin
 
Aretha can really whale.. I mean Wail... oh im so bad...so this one definately out to go to the ef5... the ef5 just pours sugar all over her already sweet sweet vocal awesomeness
the zen head sort of sounds more like swee and low.. it tastes good, but it aint no sugar baby!
 
its funny because i keep doing the same thing.. i put on the ef5.. it sounds good... i put on the zen head, and i say... oh well thats not bad.. it sounds just like the ef5... then i go back to the ef5 and I go... ooooooooh,  no the zen head didnt sound THAT good!
 
I should really emphasize that for the sake of comparison, i may be overstating the differences in these amps..  they are certainly noticable, but its not like the zen head sounds bad or anything.    and lets face it.. any component that steals even an ounce of my precious Thunderpants bass is gonna get railed on a little
 

 

[Br777]

well francisdemarte suggested i try the clear top and it dawned on me that i only bought the black glass to remedy my mismatched ath-W100X, and havent really given the clear top a chance with the Tunderpants
 
I am doing so now, and it actually might sound better than the black glass.. highs seem clearer and cleaner.. mids are excellent, but maybe a bit less dark, and the low end, while still in tact seems to have cleaned up a bit too... and while this all sounds great, there is a slight problem because the zen head officially has no chance in competing anymore
 
i tell ya folks the asgard has its work cut out for it... its gonna have to sing dance, juggle chainsaws and play the piano with its toes to keep up with the awesome that is this little EF5
 
I didnt realize how nice this EF5 sounded.. if nothing else, im glad i got some perspective on its sonic goodness.. but who knows.. the asgard could.. well.. Schiit all over it for all I know...
 

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

well francisdemarte suggested i try the clear top and it dawned on me that i only bought the black glass to remedy my mismatched ath-W100X, and havent really given the clear top a chance with the Tunderpants
 
I am doing so now, and it actually might sound better than the black glass.. highs seem clearer and cleaner.. mids are excellent, but maybe a bit less dark, and the low end, while still in tact seems to have cleaned up a bit too... and while this all sounds great, there is a slight problem because the zen head officially has no chance in competing anymore
 
i tell ya folks the asgard has its work cut out for it... its gonna have to sing dance, juggle chainsaws and play the piano with its toes to keep up with the awesome that is this little EF5
 
I didnt realize how nice this EF5 sounded.. if nothing else, im glad i got some perspective on its sonic goodness.. but who knows.. the asgard could.. well.. Schiit all over it for all I know...
 

I really do like the EF-5 and the ability to tune the sound with different tubes.  It's a great match for the HiFiMan HE-5 and HE-5 LE, and I can see how it can do a similarly fine job with the TP.  It's a good bang for the buck amp.

 

[electropop]

An entertaining read
 
I have a pair of ATH-AD2000s and have also tried the EF-5 with other Audio Technicas, such as W1000 and W5000 and have to say that it didn't mate well with any of them. Just poor synergy with AT's in general, I've concluded.

 

[Br777]

Quote:

An entertaining read
 
I have a pair of ATH-AD2000s and have also tried the EF-5 with other Audio Technicas, such as W1000 and W5000 and have to say that it didn't mate well with any of them. Just poor synergy with AT's in general, I've concluded.

certainly seems to be the case. 

 

[aspenx]

Quote:

certainly seems to be the case. 

Does it mean the Zenhead will mate well with the W1000x?
 
I'd like some sparkle in the mids and highs without much loss in detail nor sibilance. Will tubes be the way to go then?

 

[Br777]

I thought it mated very well with the W1000X.  I have often pointed that out in various posts i did when i owned them.
 
BTW.  I will be selling the zen head if you are interested

 
 

 

[aspenx]

Thanks for the offer, but I'm not looking for a portable amp.

 

[Br777]

asgard should arrive on the 8th...

 

[aspenx]

Quote:

asgard should arrive on the 8th...

Any chance of reviewing it with the W1000x although you've sold them?

 

[Br777]

no... cause ive sold them...  why dont you just order one.. if you dont like it.. return it... thats what im doing...