[phren0logy]

I was thinking about picking up one of these on sale to go with either the LCD-2 or LCD-X. Getting the PanAm and either one is at the very limit of a potential budget, so I was wondering if with the PamAm there's much difference between the two. I know the LCD-X is the better headphone, but is the PanAm good enough to appreciate the difference?

 

[BattousaiX26]

   
Oops, no eBay listing, but here are the same tubes I have available from the tubemuseum main website:
 
http://www.tubemuseum.org/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=TFK-6AK5%2F5654

Thanks!

 

[R Scott Ireland]

  I was thinking about picking up one of these on sale to go with either the LCD-2 or LCD-X. Getting the PanAm and either one is at the very limit of a potential budget, so I was wondering if with the PamAm there's much difference between the two. I know the LCD-X is the better headphone, but is the PanAm good enough to appreciate the difference?

 
I've never owned the LCD-2's, but the Pan Am is an excellent little amp that easily distinguishes the different characteristics of all of my headphones (including LCD-X; LCD-3; HD800; etc.).

 

[phren0logy]

Thanks very much for your response, it's helpful that you have a few headphones to try it with. If you would indulge me in one more question: does the Passport battery pack really make that much difference?

 

[R Scott Ireland]

  Thanks very much for your response, it's helpful that you have a few headphones to try it with. If you would indulge me in one more question: does the Passport battery pack really make that much difference?

 
I'm not really sure.  I have always used it only with a Passport battery.  But since the Pan Am is now being discontinued, I just bought a Gateway unit (along with another Pan Am and Passport - that's how much I like this amp!).
 
Anyway, I haven't had a chance to try out the Gateway yet.

 

[Aikanaro]

  Thanks very much for your response, it's helpful that you have a few headphones to try it with. If you would indulge me in one more question: does the Passport battery pack really make that much difference?

the passport is great if you want to unplug and just lug around that passport around your home/office (or even outside really if you have the bag space for it). adds a bit of weight to the amp but all in all worth it imo.
 
love how such a small transportable desktop amp brings to life even the top-tier headphones save for the really power-hungry orthos and planars. can anyone recommend tube upgrades please thanks

 

[TontonJoK]

Telefunken 6AK5/5654, Mullard CV 4010 or voshkod 6zh1p-ev

 

[TontonJoK]

Passport is great to get a black background

 

[phren0logy]

Any further updates since your order? If you have a moment to leave a few notes, I'd love to hear a comparison of the PanAm alone (no Passport / Gateway) and Passport vs. Gateway as the power supply.

 

[R Scott Ireland]

  Any further updates since your order? If you have a moment to leave a few notes, I'd love to hear a comparison of the PanAm alone (no Passport / Gateway) and Passport vs. Gateway as the power supply.

 
Well . . . I've only had time for one listening/comparison session between the Gateway and the Passport.
 
Frankly, I did not hear any difference between them.  Again, this is only one listening session.
 
Others have indicated that the Passport is preferable with blacker background (lower noise floor).  I did not notice this using the LCD-X and Denon D7000 headphones. I fed the Gateway through a Furman power/line conditioner.
 
By the way, you can't use the Pan Am "alone" - it needs a 12V power supply - so you either need the Gateway, or the Passport, or something else to supply power.

 

[phren0logy]

Thanks for the quick response. I suspect that if there is a difference between the Gateway and Passport I won't be able to hear it either.
 
I am pretty sure you can plug the wall wart directly into the PanAm (instead of the Passport). ALO will allow you to order it by itself, without a Passport or Gateway. There are reviews that discuss a difference between the Gateway and wall wart, but they describe a difference between the Gateway and Passport, too. I am not sure how much of that is "golden ears" and how much of that is the power of autosuggestion. As an amp, it seems reasonable that there would be a difference, but it's interesting to note that when Audeze was selling the PanAM (before it was discontinued) they did not sell either the Passport or Gateway, just the lone amp/dac unit.

 

[R Scott Ireland]

  Thanks for the quick response. I suspect that if there is a difference between the Gateway and Passport I won't be able to hear it either.
 
I am pretty sure you can plug the wall wart directly into the PanAm (instead of the Passport). ALO will allow you to order it by itself, without a Passport or Gateway. There are reviews that discuss a difference between the Gateway and wall wart, but they describe a difference between the Gateway and Passport, too. I am not sure how much of that is "golden ears" and how much of that is the power of autosuggestion. As an amp, it seems reasonable that there would be a difference, but it's interesting to note that when Audeze was selling the PanAM (before it was discontinued) they did not sell either the Passport or Gateway, just the lone amp/dac unit.

Ah so!  I never really thought about it before, but that makes sense.  The Pan Am just needs 12V DC, however it gets it. 
 
Using A/C mains power in the chain generally does create the possibility of various kinds of noise (RFI; switching power supplies, etc.). But in this case I didn't notice any noise.

 

[TontonJoK]

I get some noise if I listen to pan am when charging the passport,
I use EU adaptator for 220 v type of plug
It's not all the time only once in a while like 1 or 2 times a mn

When not charging it's dead silent

 

[JoeDoe]

New toys!
 

 

[TontonJoK]

Nice !!
I see some Telefunken tubes ??