[Patu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulveling LOL, I almost forgot about the IronDreamer effect. You're more effective than BOSE marketing

Actually it was Iron_Dreamer's review which made me borrow these from halcyon. Then I fell in love with them and ordered own pair from PJ.

 

[nmculbreth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vic Have you notice how many threads recently about the W5000? There was a lot of interest at the beginning, let's say January-February, then practically nothing for three months and now everybody seems to be interested, maybe because of the couple of them showed at the nat meet (including mine). Is it a sort of delayed FOTM?

It certainly seems that there has been much more chatter about the W5000 recently, I guess more people have been getting the chance to hear them at meets and they've liked what they heard. There was a little bit of a buzz after they were released in December but I think it was mainly just from the AT lovers on the board and not from a big segment of the head-fi. I'm guessing if they didn't have to be imported from Japan and weren't as expensive that the FOTM thing would have happened earlier.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulveling LOL, I almost forgot about the IronDreamer effect. You're more effective than BOSE marketing

And it's not like I try to stir things up, people just seem to listen to me for some strange reason

 

[gevorg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulveling Speaking of HA2002,

Is that the same power supply Zhaolu DAC 2 uses?

 

[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gevorg Is that the same power supply Zhaolu DAC 2 uses?

It's an r-core transformer.

Like other parts, there are varying grades of r-core transformers..

Just like how Bose Triports and OIIs both resemble headphones, but one sucks considerably more.

 

[shplorgh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gevorg Is that the same power supply Zhaolu DAC 2 uses?

No.

 

[Vic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattigol Not so sure about FOTM kind of hype, but I do like the attention the cans are getting lately. I am in the process of upgrading my PPX3 SLAM with a 120 Watt toroidal transformer and a few other goodies. If all fails, I will be looking at a new amp alltogether, so please keep the suggestions coming. I do like what I heard about the Portal Panache integrated amp and the way the headphone section (or lack of) is implemented. I wish high end integrateds such as Lavardin or my beloved Sugden Audio would copy that idea into their own designs. Lately, I am becoming a bit frutrated with dedicated headamps, but that's a whole different story...

Mathias,
You don't seem very happy with your PPX3 SLAM. May I ask what is w ong with it?

 

[jjcha]

I went back to Yodobashi Camera today to spend some more time with the HA5000/W5000. This time I brought some CDs I was familar with. Using the same Denon SACD player (pretty introductory level at about $600).

The spaciousness I described above is definitely there. Based on these relatively brief impressions (I spent about 15 minutes with it), I do attribute it to the amplifier. My prior experiences with the W5000 indicated a nice sense of space, but nothing quite as wide as this. Don't get me wrong, it's not wall to wall disappering drivers wide as my 010 and K 1000 can do. But it's certainly well past the cups.

I will say it was also very clear that a lot of the magic came from the Denon demo SACD recording that I had been listening to yesterday, and that I also listened to for a bit today. That SACD took the width of the HA5000/W5000 and just filled it wonderfully, populating the space with coherent instruments and voices. The system did not do so well with my admittedly less well-recorded CDs. The soundstage was still wide, but there were times I felt there was a bit lacking in the middle. That a lot of the energy was just to the way left and right. My hunch is that that was the SACD player and how it presented redbook, but I can't say for sure. Also there was a lack of depth to the soundstaging. It sounded very narrow compared to the vibrant and life-like demo SACD.

Dang, I need to get one of that SACD. Too bad it said, "Not For Sale" on the back.

Anyway, I think good source matching could easily remedy most of the soundstaging limitations I heard and then play to the HA5000/W5000's strengths. I like this unit. It's a combination to retire to (much like the DHA3k and L3k were). I've got someone looking into obtaining an HA5000 for me right now.

Best,

-Jason

 

[mattigol]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha It's a combination to retire to (much like the DHA3k and L3k were). I've got someone looking into obtaining an HA5000 for me right now.

When you do decide to retire with a Raffinato rig, make sure you staff your yuppie NYC apartment with one of these matching chairs (I know it's been discussed before)....

 

[mulveling]

I'd rather have a chair to match the L3000

 

[mattigol]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vic Mathias, You don't seem very happy with your PPX3 SLAM. May I ask what is w ong with it?

Well it sounded wonderful for the almost two years I have it (first a PPX3 6CG7, now a SLAM) paired with any can I threw at it. I bought it second hand from a US seller and used a stepdown transformer for a while. However, it did display an ever so slight mechanical hum under the local 50 Hz AC. Last fall I sent it to SP for a SLAM upgrade and had Mikhail look into the hum problem as well. Incidentally, the problem wasn't reproducible in the SP workshop, so there wasn't much he could do. My P2P PPX3 came back being a completely new amplifier, with a circuitboard instead of the P2P wiring. Mikhail really went all out to get me a hum-free amp. He also offered a transformer exchange at extra cost. I just didn't want to spring for another 200 US$ for a simple transformer exchange (or 400 US$ for a Plitron upgrade) and decided I would check the amp first with if the new internals. Well they didn't fix the problem.

So I found myself in the dilemma of a 300 US$ or 500 US$ (incl. 2-way shipping) transformer exchange and instead opted for a DIY approach using a local brand that outfits many German high end companies. At 100 Euros a great deal. My custom transformer is rated at 120 VA, fully engulfed in epoxy for hum protection and came with a thick copper hood. I exchanged the transformers with little problems (again with Mikhail's generous help), but the hum didn't go away. I upgraded my power filtering, tried it at various places, even other cities, with/without tubes, different tubes, all to no avail.

I am seeing the electriclal engineer who sold me my new transformer here in Germany next week for an ultimate look inside the amp. If all fails, I am putting it back in 110V operation, sending it back to SP for a complete overhaul and will put it on the F/S forum. I was hopeful to put this problem behind me but I am slowly losing patience.

 

[Comfy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulveling LOL, I almost forgot about the IronDreamer effect. You're more effective than BOSE marketing

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patu Actually it was Iron_Dreamer's review which made me borrow these from halcyon. Then I fell in love with them and ordered own pair from PJ.

Yeah, and listening to Patu's borrowed pair 6 months ago has made me a happy W5000 owner now. The IronDreamer effect keeps going strong. =)

BUT, there is something I need to know: is there any way I can use an HA5000 amp where I live, where we have 220V electricity? (Except as a beautiful paperweight, that is...)

 

[Elephas]

You can use a 220V to 100V stepdown transformer. Also some power regenerators and conditioners can be set to 100V output.

Oops, I forgot to post a photo in this thread.

Here's the W5000 and HA5000 in action.

 

[Loftprojection]

Elephas, what's that box besides the two DACs?

Quite an impressive line up you have there!!!

 

[slwiser]

Loft

That is his Chord DAC 64 MkII, real high end stuff. It has a hugh ram buffer to eliminate jitter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loftprojection Elephas, what's that box besides the two DACs? Quite an impressive line up you have there!!!