AMP A / B COMPARISONS

[milosz]

Quote:

So far I've built a Bottlehead Crack+Speedball and S.E.X.+C4S. Currently sitting in pieces on my workbence are a b22+s22, incoming parts for a 3 channel a20, and I have circuit to replicate Jan Meier's active balanced ground topology which I intend to plug into either the b22 or a20 (maybe both?). Once I finish those up, I'll probably write up a comparison thread.

I'd be curious to read how the S.E.X.  and the Crack/Speedball compare. 

 

[milosz]

Quote:

Fantastic thread, milosz! However, I cannot pass a thread like this by without contributing my own selfish request

 
I see you compared your setup to an RSA Hornet. Do you think you will have the opportunity to compare a Meier Stepdance?
 
Once again, thanks for a very interesting and educational thread.

I'll compare anything I can get my hands on.  I don't own a Stepdance....   if someone sent me one to compare I'd certainly do it.
 

 

[Armaegis]

Quote:

I'd be curious to read how the S.E.X.  and the Crack/Speedball compare. 

When I installed the speedball into the crack, there was a noticeably sense of increased resolution. While I only briefly listened to the SEX before installing the C4S upgrade (which to my understading is essentially half the Speedball upgrade), I noticed a similar improvement though not as pronounced. Granted, I was far less familiar with the SEX and the low impedance cans I was testing it with.
 
In terms of comparitive sound signatures, I find the SEX a bit "bubblier" for lack of a better word. Both amps I find are mid-centric and have great soundstages, with the Crack giving a *tiny* bit more weight in the low-mids/mid-bass, and the SEX being a *tiny* bit better with the upper-mids. It's tough to compare them though, as the Crack is designed for high impedance (100+), while the SEX handles low impedance and pushes out more juice.
 
With my 600 ohm Sextetts, I preferred them out of the Crack; they felt like they had a bit more control and I'm a mid-bass sort of guy. With my Phiatons (the MS300/400 and PS500), the SEX amp sounded great and it really gave some life to the cans. It was probably the first time I really enjoyed listening to the PS500, which previously were a bit thin in the mids for my liking.
 
As I was building the amp for someone else, I did not get a chance to test much further. I also do not currently have any cans which are right in the middle resistance-wise, so it's difficult to make a good comparison. Hmm, I do have a 90ohm impedance adapter I could use though. Used with one of the 32 ohn cans that would give me 122 that I can use for both amps.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

I'll compare anything I can get my hands on.  I don't own a Stepdance....   if someone sent me one to compare I'd certainly do it.
 

Milosz, you are welcome to borrow my Stepdance if you're interested.  Just PM me.

 

[vcoheda]

did you ever post a pic of the device you are using to compare amps. it's still unlcear to me what you are doing.
 
is it:
 
                              >> RCA 1 >> amp 1 >> hp out >> input 1 switch box
source >> RCA splitter                                                                     >> headphone
                              >> RCA 2 >> amp 2 >> hp out >> input 2 switch box
 
 
i wonder if one of these could be built for balanced use.

 

[olor1n]

milosz, Fun vs E9 please!
 
I suspect the E9 is a very good amp hamstrung by it's common pairing with the E7 (WM8740).

 

[129207]

This thread is epic. This deconstructs 95% of Head-Fi's content. 

 It's going to help Fiio push some more units as well. 

 

[micmacmo]

Here's a modest proposal with ambitious intentions. Would fellow Chicagoans milosz and Skylab consider getting together to share equipment and opinions using milosz's A | B switch? I think the results of that conversation would be fascinating and essential reading for head-fiers.

 

[129207]

Someone put this on the frontpage! 

 

[eliziz]

Quote:

Here's a modest proposal with ambitious intentions. Would fellow Chicagoans milosz and Skylab consider getting together to share equipment and opinions using milosz's A | B switch? I think the results of that conversation would be fascinating and essential reading for head-fiers.

+1
If that's possible, comparing even half of each one's equietment would be just superb - drooling over the idea of a leben, decware, b22 comparison.

 

[tubulis]

Great thread, really appreciate the effort. Refreshing to find a thread to counterbalance the more subjective prose or others, be they accurate or not.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

milosz, how did you feel the Fiio E9 held up against the Beta22?
 
How did you feel about it as a desktop amp in general and how it stacks up against the others?
 
I hate to say it....actually no I don't... I KNEW the Fiio E9 would stand up to the big boys. Now all the HATE can finally be put to rest about the Fiio E9 not being able to compete with high end neutral amps. To be able to stand up to the Beta22 and hold it's own... this is great news indeed. Especially being able to power the LCD2 and HD800.
 
As for as I know, anything else that would be SIGNIFICANTLY better, would be based off people's personal preference in colored sound, and not how much power is being fed.

 

[kite7]

Quote:

milosz, how did you feel the Fiio E9 held up against the Beta22?
 
How did you feel about it as a desktop amp in general and how it stacks up against the others?
 
I hate to say it....actually no I don't... I KNEW the Fiio E9 would stand up to the big boys. Now all the HATE can finally be put to rest about the Fiio E9 not being able to compete with high end neutral amps. To be able to stand up to the Beta22 and hold it's own... this is great news indeed. Especially being able to power the LCD2 and HD800.
 
As for as I know, anything else that would be SIGNIFICANTLY better, would be based off people's personal preference in colored sound, and not how much power is being fed.

I don't know about that. I would still need to personally hear the two before jumping to conclusions but I still appreciate milosz's impressions.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I have no doubt that the more expensive ones are overall better. What I'm saying is that the E9 puts up a good fight, as well as having enough power for many headphones, including flagships. The rest is subjective opinion and preference of overall sound signature.
 
The hate was most people saying it couldn't compete. I'm pretty sure that can be put to rest. People swear price = performance moreso than not, and Fiio has been consistently proving this way of thinking wrong.
 
I'm inclined to believe you're paying more for versatility (more inputs and compatability) with the higher end neutral amps, and not a sound upgrade, but more of a sidegrade.
 
But of course, haters gonna hate. You're getting an amp that stays relatively true to the source and feeds your headphones enough power to shine. The Fiio E9 as a neutral amp with ample power does this, does it not? The marked improvements over the E9 is slight sound signature differences, more neutrality, from what we can see. I for one am not gonna pay $1000 more for slight improvements, when the E9 already does things quite well.
 
I'm willing to bet a pretty penny the truly better improvements are with whatever DAC it's paired with. That will be my next logical choice to upgrading my sound.
 
I can rest easy knowing that I bought an amp that feeds my headphones with plenty of power without coloring the sound, which was what I wanted. The bells and whistles is of no importance to me.

 

[Rdr. Seraphim]

Boy! It's a good thing this thread isn't in the Sound Science forum! This sounds a lot like some of the cable debate going on over there!