[icebear]

....   p.s. -  Is it possible to want to marry a woman based just on the sound of her voice?
I am listening to Jennifer Nettles and her voice just wraps around you even at this stage in listening to the music through the Master 9!

Possibly yes, but her ? Positively "no" but hey as always : YMMV.
Some point much earlier in life, I had a similar crush on the voice of Margo Timmins

 

[yamaha29]

icebear,
   Hey, no love for Jennifer?  Oh well! For what it's worth I was lucky enough to meet Margo (and her band mates) a long time ago and I can report that she was very nice to speak with.

 

[Articnoise]

Is it a DHC Chaperone 2 you have? Have you compared it to Audio GD’s ACSS cable as well? If you have, what’s the difference?
 
I have never own a Yamaha player, but have heard many of them and their amps during the 80-90s and they all had a house sound I didn’t liked. To digital, metallic treble and cold sounding for me. If you like their sound ok, I haven’t heard their dac’s and amps for many years.

 

[icebear]

  icebear,
   Hey, no love for Jennifer?  Oh well! For what it's worth I was lucky enough to meet Margo (and her band mates) a long time ago and I can report that she was very nice to speak with.

I also met her after her performance at a Clearwater Festival some years back at Croton on Hudson, with Pete Seeger (RIP) at that time. I already have tickets for her performance of the "Trinity Session" in South Orange,NJ in a couple of weeks ).

 

[yamaha29]

1. Articnoise
2.   Right now I have a 1M DHC Primer SPDIF (silver) cable connecting the Yamaha CDX-5000 (as a transport) to the Reference 7.1. The Reference 7.1 is connected to the Master 1 with a 1M DHC Complement ACSS (copper) cable pair. The Master 1 Is connected to the EQ with a 1M Monster Sigma Reference Gold XLR cable pair. (straight through but EQ does an AD conversion to allow a Yamaha Y2 format connection from the EQ to the X-over.) That connection is over a 6.5M DHC custom Yamaha Y2 cable. The X-over to the main amp is by .5M DHC Spore XLR cables and the X-over to the subs is by 2M Monster Sigma Reference Gold XLR cables.
3.   I compared the Sigma cables XLR to the DHC ACSS cable and found there was a serious improvement to what was already a very nice sound. Main points, clarity, quieter background, width and depth of sound stage, all depending on the recording of course. All in all a change I would not reverse! 
4.    The next stage is waiting on delivery of a Spore 1M XLR set which will connect the Master 1 to the EQ. The DHC Complement ACSS pair will connect the Master 7 to the Master 1 is going to be replaced by a DHC Spore 1M ACSS pair that will allow me to use the existing DHC ACSS cable to connect the Ref 7.1 to the Master 9 for headphone listening at my desk. The 2M Sigma RG XLR pair to the subs is going to be replaced with a DHC Complement XLR pair. So all the line level cable from the transport forward to the speakers will shortly be from Peter at DHC. I am looking at something else for speaker cables, but that is still a work in progress.
5.    I hope that helps.

 

[rsbrsvp]

One of the nice things about the Master 9 is how different it sounds when warmed up more and more.   With a 30 minute- 2 hour warm up- it sounds clear and crisp- but natural.  If you want a real full midrange like a tube amplifier- leave it on for 24 hours.   To my ears- it is a different beast.  Depending on your likings you can warm it up less or more.   A few hours makes little difference- but leaving on 24/7 makes a huge difference (not necessairly better).

 

[SteveM324]

I've had my Master 9 for a few weeks now and I continue to be very impressed with this amp. My friend, Musicman59, brought over his HE6 (hardwired Wireworld OCC and Audeze Vegan pads) and his HD800 with the Wireworld OCC cable. In my setup and for my preferences, I much preferred the HE6. The M9 drove the HE6 like I never heard it before. For my HE6 reference, I owned the RSA DarkStar for about a year.. Again for my preferences, I like the M9 for driving the HE6 much better than the DarkStar. The M9 drives the HE6 with authority and the sound is warm, liquid and smooth. This combo had plenty of air, soundstaging and instrument separation were all excellent. The highs were not bright at all. The M9 seemed to drive the HE6 with ease. Greed, was spot on when he said the HE6/M9 is a nice match. I agree, very nice match indeed.

 

[rsbrsvp]

Yeah- but greed also said in a post a few weeks ago that he had plenty of speaker amps that easily outperformed the M9 with the HE-6.
 
 
Here is a cut and paste of what he wrote:
 
There are many speakers amps that cost about the same or even less that I consider a better pairing than the M9. So far the M9 is a decent combination with the HE-6, about on par with the GS-X mk2 - which can power the HE-6 but I feel still lacks good dynamics and ultimate transparency. Few examples of speakers amps that I feel outclass the M9 - Odyssey Stratos+, F3 (Used), Khartago, Forte Model 3, and Adcom GFA-565se. All of those amps I feel are a better buy if the HE-6 is the only concern. 

 

[SteveM324]

Yeah- but greed also said in a post a few weeks ago that he had plenty of speaker amps that easily outperformed the M9 with the HE-6.


Here is a cut and paste of what he wrote:

There are many speakers amps that cost about the same or even less that I consider a better pairing than the M9. So far the M9 is a decent combination with the HE-6, about on par with the GS-X mk2 - which can power the HE-6 but I feel still lacks good dynamics and ultimate transparency. Few examples of speakers amps that I feel outclass the M9 - Odyssey Stratos+, F3 (Used), Khartago, Forte Model 3, and Adcom GFA-565se. All of those amps I feel are a better buy if the HE-6 is the only concern. 

Well 2 weeks later than the post that you cut and pasted above, here is what he said in his review of the M9:

"HE-6: This pairing was the most important, and the largest risk to me. We all know the myths and exatrations that pass through these forums regarding the HE-6 - they NEED 100wpc to sound their best – blah blah. Well I don’t buy into that crap, but I do believe the HE-6 are power hungry and need lots of grunt. At the same time they need clean power that packs a ton of punch but has the finesse to soften the semi-hard treble and get rid of the etch. Well, the M9 definitely delivers. Sound signatures match up very well having good synergy, and there is plenty of headroom on the volume pot. Out of the 100 steps – I’m at 60. Over the years, I’ve come to find out that I listen to music relatively loud. Any sane person shouldn’t listen at 60 unless they want to jam all day err day like I do. The M9 DRIVES the HE-6 with authority, and I can’t say it gets a lot better. For a headphonHE-6: This pairing was the most important, and the largest risk to me. We all know the myths and exatrations that pass through these forums regarding the HE-6 - they NEED 100wpc to sound their best – blah blah. Well I don’t buy into that crap, but I do believe the HE-6 are power hungry and need lots of grunt. At the same time they need clean power that packs a ton of punch but has the finesse to soften the semi-hard treble and get rid of the etch. Well, the M9 definitely delivers. Sound signatures match up very well having good synergy, and there is plenty of headroom on the volume pot. Out of the 100 steps – I’m at 60. Over the years, I’ve come to find out that I listen to music relatively loud. Any sane person shouldn’t listen at 60 unless they want to jam all day err day like I do. The M9 DRIVES the HE-6 with authority, and I can’t say it gets a lot better. For a headphone amp, the M9 does a surprisingly good job."

So he must have spent more time with the HE8/M9 combination after he wrote the post that you quoted since the post I quoted was 2-3 weeks later. In his 2nd to last sentence, he states, " I can't say it gets a lot better."

But the next sentence he states, For a headphone amp... Yes I was scratching my head too. Because he just stated he doesn't believe in all the crap about needing a 100wpc speaker amp and he goes on to say the M9 definitely delivers.

So I wanted to find out for myself just what the M9 could do with the HE6. I'm just reporting out what I heard yesterday with the M9 driving my friend's, Musicman59, HE6. As I said, my reference is the RSA DarkStar that many have reported to be a good match for the HE6. IMO, the M9 drives the HE6 with quite a bit more authority than the DS. My friend, Musicman59, drives the HE6 with a Threshold class A speaker amp (easily as good as the speaker amps that Greed quoted). He agreed that the HE6 sounds great driven by the M9. In fact he tried the HE6 with the GSX MK2 at Rocky Mountain Festival and said he felt it was not a good match and that it sounded underpowered. Not only does the M9 drive the HE6 with authority, its sound signature is a synergistic match for the HE6. The M9 has smooth highs and mids and it seems to get the most bass out of any headphone it matches up to. This makes it a good match for the HE6 and the sound is definitely on the warm side of things and not bright at all. I've heard plenty of poor amp matches with the HE6 to know that it sounds lean and bright when not properly driven. I owned the HE6 for 2 years before I sold it. I sold it because I felt it was too lean and bright even on my DarkStar.

Have you listened the the HE6/M9? Try it and then report out your own impressions. I've been into headphones for the past 22 years with my AKG K340s and K1000s and I've had many of the top of the line headphones including the SR-009 that I still have. I trust my ears and experience when I say that the M9/HE6 is a great sounding match.

 

[NinjaHamster]

But the next sentence he states, For a headphone amp... Yes I was scratching my head too. Because he just stated he doesn't believe in all the crap about needing a 100wpc speaker amp and he goes on to say the M9 definitely delivers.

 

 
This actually makes sense.  It shouldn't be too confusing.  What he is saying is that these phones don't NEED a 100w amplifier to sound good, but that maybe a little more power (Hello, Pass F5) than your typical headphone amp works well.  This means the M9 is a good match for the HE6's - possibly even better than most headphone amplifiers - but that it is not quite as good as a high quality speaker amplifier.

 

[Greed]

   
This actually makes sense.  It shouldn't be too confusing.  What he is saying is that these phones don't NEED a 100w amplifier to sound good, but that maybe a little more power (Hello, Pass F5) than your typical headphone amp works well.  This means the M9 is a good match for the HE6's - possibly even better than most headphone amplifiers - but that it is not quite as good as a high quality speaker amplifier.

 

Well 2 weeks later than the post that you cut and pasted above, here is what he said in his review of the M9:

"HE-6: This pairing was the most important, and the largest risk to me. We all know the myths and exatrations that pass through these forums regarding the HE-6 - they NEED 100wpc to sound their best – blah blah. Well I don’t buy into that crap, but I do believe the HE-6 are power hungry and need lots of grunt. At the same time they need clean power that packs a ton of punch but has the finesse to soften the semi-hard treble and get rid of the etch. Well, the M9 definitely delivers. Sound signatures match up very well having good synergy, and there is plenty of headroom on the volume pot. Out of the 100 steps – I’m at 60. Over the years, I’ve come to find out that I listen to music relatively loud. Any sane person shouldn’t listen at 60 unless they want to jam all day err day like I do. The M9 DRIVES the HE-6 with authority, and I can’t say it gets a lot better. For a headphonHE-6: This pairing was the most important, and the largest risk to me. We all know the myths and exatrations that pass through these forums regarding the HE-6 - they NEED 100wpc to sound their best – blah blah. Well I don’t buy into that crap, but I do believe the HE-6 are power hungry and need lots of grunt. At the same time they need clean power that packs a ton of punch but has the finesse to soften the semi-hard treble and get rid of the etch. Well, the M9 definitely delivers. Sound signatures match up very well having good synergy, and there is plenty of headroom on the volume pot. Out of the 100 steps – I’m at 60. Over the years, I’ve come to find out that I listen to music relatively loud. Any sane person shouldn’t listen at 60 unless they want to jam all day err day like I do. The M9 DRIVES the HE-6 with authority, and I can’t say it gets a lot better. For a headphone amp, the M9 does a surprisingly good job."

So he must have spent more time with the HE8/M9 combination after he wrote the post that you quoted since the post I quoted was 2-3 weeks later. In his 2nd to last sentence, he states, " I can't say it gets a lot better."

But the next sentence he states, For a headphone amp... Yes I was scratching my head too. Because he just stated he doesn't believe in all the crap about needing a 100wpc speaker amp and he goes on to say the M9 definitely delivers.

So I wanted to find out for myself just what the M9 could do with the HE6. I'm just reporting out what I heard yesterday with the M9 driving my friend's, Musicman59, HE6. As I said, my reference is the RSA DarkStar that many have reported to be a good match for the HE6. IMO, the M9 drives the HE6 with quite a bit more authority than the DS. My friend, Musicman59, drives the HE6 with a Threshold class A speaker amp (easily as good as the speaker amps that Greed quoted). He agreed that the HE6 sounds great driven by the M9. In fact he tried the HE6 with the GSX MK2 at Rocky Mountain Festival and said he felt it was not a good match and that it sounded underpowered. Not only does the M9 drive the HE6 with authority, its sound signature is a synergistic match for the HE6. The M9 has smooth highs and mids and it seems to get the most bass out of any headphone it matches up to. This makes it a good match for the HE6 and the sound is definitely on the warm side of things and not bright at all. I've heard plenty of poor amp matches with the HE6 to know that it sounds lean and bright when not properly driven. I owned the HE6 for 2 years before I sold it. I sold it because I felt it was too lean and bright even on my DarkStar.

Have you listened the the HE6/M9? Try it and then report out your own impressions. I've been into headphones for the past 22 years with my AKG K340s and K1000s and I've had many of the top of the line headphones including the SR-009 that I still have. I trust my ears and experience when I say that the M9/HE6 is a great sounding match.

 

  Yeah- but greed also said in a post a few weeks ago that he had plenty of speaker amps that easily outperformed the M9 with the HE-6.
 
 
Here is a cut and paste of what he wrote:
 
There are many speakers amps that cost about the same or even less that I consider a better pairing than the M9. So far the M9 is a decent combination with the HE-6, about on par with the GS-X mk2 - which can power the HE-6 but I feel still lacks good dynamics and ultimate transparency. Few examples of speakers amps that I feel outclass the M9 - Odyssey Stratos+, F3 (Used), Khartago, Forte Model 3, and Adcom GFA-565se. All of those amps I feel are a better buy if the HE-6 is the only concern. 

 
Hey guys let me try and clear up any confusion that may have come from my thoughts. First of all, don't forget that these are still my opinions and are subject to change as I get more accustom and firmly grasp the performance of any of my gear. Also, to reinforce what is always said - don't always take one persons word for it no matter who it is, or how good a review seems. Your ear will be the ultimate test, and of course if that is not possible, try and find someone or multiple people that hear things similar to you and use that as a guide. 
 
My opinion still hasn't changed about the M9 or the speakers amps with the HE-6. Remember some key words and that what I said at different times has their own relevant context.
 
" There are many speakers amps that cost about the same or even less that I consider a better pairing than the M9. So far the M9 is a decent combination with the HE-6, about on par with the GS-X mk2 - which can power the HE-6 but I feel still lacks good dynamics and ultimate transparency. Few examples of speakers amps that I feel outclass the M9 - Odyssey Stratos+, F3 (Used), Khartago, Forte Model 3, and Adcom GFA-565se. All of those amps I feel are a better buy if the HE-6 is the only concern. "
 
What I'm saying here means that I feel if your only concern is the HE-6 - your money definitely goes further buying a speaker amp. Maybe one of the ones I mentioned or something else, of course your choice. You may already have your other headphones covered with a headphone amp already in play, or maybe the HE-6 is your only headphone. If one of those two apply then look no further, a speaker amp of that caliber is going to give you superior sonics vs the M9, and a better bang for your buck.
 
My thoughts about it mirroring the performance of the GS-X mk2 is wrong and was probably premature. For that I do apologize, the M9 is definitely a better match for the HE-6 synergy and power wise. 
 
@Steve - Again to reiterate in the context of just headphone amps, the M9 has been one of the best amps I've heard with the HE-6. Not much else comes even close to the sonic synergy, while maintaining ample power to the power hungry cans. Also, the M9 so far is one of the best all-around amps (besides the GS-X mk2) I've heard that can drive anything from (C)IEMS to inefficient, power hungry cans like the HE-6. If one is looking for an amp to do it all and they don't want to spend a lot of cash (relatively speaking here), the M9 would be my top recommendation. OTOH, a speaker amp like one of the above has unleashed that last 5% in sonics of the HE-6. They have more authority and a larger dynamic range. Most likely due to the increase power on tap. Still, I could very well live with the M9/HE-6 combo. It does most of what a good speaker amp can do, all while pairing well with other headphones as well. Which cannot be said about those speaker amps.

 

[rsbrsvp]

Has anyone heard the he-500 on the M9?  Any comparisons to the he-6 on the M9?

 

[SteveM324]

This actually makes sense.  It shouldn't be too confusing.  What he is saying is that these phones don't NEED a 100w amplifier to sound good, but that maybe a little more power (Hello, Pass F5) than your typical headphone amp works well.  This means the M9 is a good match for the HE6's - possibly even better than most headphone amplifiers - but that it is not quite as good as a high quality speaker amplifier.

The First Watt F5 outputs 25 wpc into 8 ohms. The Master 9 in balanced mode (that's how mine is connected from DAC to the M9 and then to all of my headphones) has a rated output of 9 wpc into 40 ohms. You do the math and then tell me that the F5 has a little more power than the M9 at 40 ohms. A speaker amp would have to be rated to output more than 45 wpc at 8 ohms to put out more power than the M9 does at 40 ohms. That's assuming that the speaker amp's power supply is stable at 40 ohms (I'm sure the First Watt amps are stable at 40 ohms but some other speaker amp manufacturers may not be).

 

[NinjaHamster]

The First Watt F5 outputs 25 wpc into 8 ohms. The Master 9 in balanced mode (that's how mine is connected from DAC to the M9 and then to all of my headphones) has a rated output of 9 wpc into 40 ohms. You do the math and then tell me that the F5 has a little more power than the M9 at 40 ohms. A speaker amp would have to be rated to output more than 45 wpc at 8 ohms to put out more power than the M9 does at 40 ohms. That's assuming that the speaker amp's power supply is stable at 40 ohms (I'm sure the First Watt amps are stable at 40 ohms but some other speaker amp manufacturers may not be).

Ah - I wasn't aware the M9 was quite that powerful.  This doesn't affect the validity of the statement however ... just substitute your favourite 50 watt amplifier for the F5 in the statement.

 

[preproman]

   
This actually makes sense.  It shouldn't be too confusing.  What he is saying is that these phones don't NEED a 100w amplifier to sound good, but that maybe a little more power (Hello, Pass F5) than your typical headphone amp works well.  This means the M9 is a good match for the HE6's - possibly even better than most headphone amplifiers - but that it is not quite as good as a high quality speaker amplifier.

 
+1 at the bold..
 
IMO "no" headphone amp is when using the HE-6.  But just concentrating on the HE-6 is not a really good idea for headphone amp makers.  The headphone amp should as flexible as possible to work with a wide range on headphones - which I'm sure the Master 9 is.