[Dusty Chalk]

Quote:

Originally posted by markl I toyed with getting the Moth for a while, but there's so little info about headphone performance. The Moth was reviewed in Absolute Sound's infamous headphone amp roundup. The reviewer like it but said it emphasized tape hiss on recordings. The prototype EAR HP4 won the shoot-out. You can buy the article on-line somewhere I forget. markl

Well, technically, the EAR was disqualified in the shootout, the RKV won best performance/price ratio, and the Holmes-Powell won something else (the East coast, if memory serves

).

http://members.aol.com/bias1000/rkvabs.html

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally posted by Dusty Chalk Well, technically, the EAR was disqualified in the shootout, the RKV won best performance/price ratio, and the Holmes-Powell won something else (the East coast, if memory serves ). http://members.aol.com/bias1000/rkvabs.html

I just read that review and that reviewer is a tin eared idiot, not qualified to review a string and dixie cup setup. IMHO

Cheers!

 

[eric343]

Quote:

The Grado seems like a steal compared to the $1,333 solid-state Headroom Max. I couldn't find any justification for this thing. It's ugly and sounds dark and closed-in. It has a couple of circuits that might justify it if you find they work for you - they did zip for me.

LOL!

 

[Wodgy]

The reviewer was the sound engineer for a number of decent recordings, including one of Sheryl Crow's albums, so he can't be that much of a tin ear. He's at least qualified to judge if a headphone rig is faithful to the sound on albums he's mixed.

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wodgy The reviewer was the sound engineer for a number of decent recordings, including one of Sheryl Crow's albums, so he can't be that much of a tin ear. He's at least qualified to judge if a headphone rig is faithful to the sound on albums he's mixed.

Apparently not

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally posted by Wodgy The reviewer was the sound engineer for a number of decent recordings, including one of Sheryl Crow's albums, so he can't be that much of a tin ear. He's at least qualified to judge if a headphone rig is faithful to the sound on albums he's mixed.

I guess some people get lucky once in a while!

I can argue with what he reported in his review but since I haven't heard any of his work, I can't argue with that...

Quote:

[size=xx-small]The Grado seems like a steal compared to the $1,333 solid-state Headroom Max. I couldn't find any justification for this thing. It's ugly and sounds dark and closed-in. It has a couple of circuits that might justify it if you find they work for you - they did zip for me. [/size]

To how many of you does the new Max sound dark and closed in?
It might tend in that direction with the wrong cables... I don't suppose he explored that either. We all hear what we want to hear don't we...

How conscientious was he with his review if he couldn't even be bothered to understand the crossfeed circuit in the HR amp?
Talk about slanted view! Reference phones: RS-1s?? Engineer??

Cheers!

 

[geom_tol]

Reviews like this are the reason why I read magazine reviews for amusement purposes only.

I have to add one of my favourite quotes to this:
"I fart in your general direction!"

 

[kelly]

Sometimes when reading a comparative review, you have to be careful not to take the statements as absolutes.

The Max (on its on, not compared to anything else) doesn't sound closed in at all. Compared to the RKV and some other tube (and especially OTL) amps, the Max and many other amps sound more "closed in" when the Crossfeed is not engaged. This is one reason people are drawn to tube amps to begin with. (And no, I can't explain WHY they sound more open, only that subjectively many people agree that tube amps often sound more open.)

I also found that the upper frequencies of the Max didn't come across as well as some other amps, though I doubt that would be in comparrison to the RKV. I haven't gotten to compare these amps directly yet, but suspect the Max to be more extended than the RKV. The Homes Powell, however, could easily have a nicer top end. I thought the Homes Powell on the Headroom tour was too thick/tubey/colored for my taste but I'm informed that the HP is sensitive to older tubes and other issues so it's possible I wasn't hearing it at its best. I know nothing about the Moth.

The other thing to keep in mind is that this review seems pretty old and is probably NOT the 2001 Max. While I've not heard the prior Max amplifiers, I've yet to read one review that favored the older model. Most explicitly sited the better hf extension of the 2001 model, pointing to some validity in the claim of rolled off highs in the prior model. I'm not sure where the soundstage fits in here.

The real statement that's hard for me to accept is that the processors did nothing for him. This to me smacks of prejudice rather than experience. Yeah, I'm anti-processor too. I don't like the "idea" of purposefully mucking with the sound--a purist if you will. However, unlike the reviewer, I will not allow my purist outlook to color my audition. Frankly, I don't think he gave the Crossfeed a chance. But then again, I'm also told the Crossfeed went through a revision for the 2001 models. Maybe the old one wasn't as good but I'd at least try to figure out what it did do before dismissing it in a formal review.

 

[shorton]

I just got back from last nights HR meet in Atlanta, and the EAR 4 is alive and well and wonderful, but alas, there wasn't a Moth with a capital letter to be found.

All else was very good. Just 3 things keep this from being Excellent, with a capital E!

1. Next door was a software company doing audio mixing training with their software - for a large group - loudly sometimes.

2. The background noise level was also hampered by the multiple headphones playing at the same time.

3. It didn't last for 2 months; so there was no opportunity to really audition everything properly.

4. Tyll didn't give me any free stuff.

Actually # 4 isn't true, since he was very nice to be so "free" with his time and money to come to Atlanta (or anywhere else) at all. Also scored a nice HR coffee mug for free too.

PS: both my wife and I heard a bigger difference with the upgrade cables than between solid state / tubes or even most amps - until you get to the Ultimate Amps section.

PSS: Anyone ready to unload the C. Red cable for a new Cardas? Cheap? (I like them both and could be very happy with the Clou for quite a while, even if I feel the Cardas was more even-handed)

 

[shorton]

I just got back from last nights HR meet in Atlanta, and the EAR 4 is alive and well and wonderful, but alas, there wasn't a Moth with a capital letter to be found.

All else was very good. Just 3 things keep this from being Excellent, with a capital E!

1. Next door was a software company doing audio mixing training with their software - for a large group - loudly sometimes.

2. The background noise level was also hampered by the multiple headphones playing at the same time.

3. It didn't last for 2 months; so there was no opportunity to really audition everything properly.

4. Tyll didn't give me any free stuff.

Actually # 4 isn't true, since he was very nice to be so "free" with his time and money to come to Atlanta (or anywhere else) at all. Also scored a nice HR coffee mug for free too.

PS: both my wife and I heard a bigger difference with the upgrade cables than between solid state / tubes or even most amps - until you get to the Ultimate Amps section.

PSS: Anyone ready to unload the C. Red cable for a new Cardas? Cheap? (I like them both and could be very happy with the Clou for quite a while, even if I feel the Cardas was more even-handed)