[Tony1110]

I like music more than I like audio equipment. I value musical enjoyment over authenticity. I don't buy music that I don't like simply because it's been recorded well and sounds good on my system. In a lot of ways I'm anti-audiophile.

I screw**g hate Diana Krall.

 

[dan.gheorghe]

I like music more than I like audio equipment. I value musical enjoyment over authenticity. I don't buy music that I don't like simply because it's been recorded well and sounds good on my system. In a lot of ways I'm anti-audiophile.

I screw**g hate Diana Krall.

 
You have a lucky wallet my friend! )

 

[citraian]

I like music more than I like audio equipment. I value musical enjoyment over authenticity. I don't buy music that I don't like simply because it's been recorded well and sounds good on my system. In a lot of ways I'm anti-audiophile.

I screw**g hate Diana Krall.

 
I just got owned (was listening to Diana Krall right now)

 

[dan.gheorghe]

   
I just got owned (was listening to Diana Krall right now)

 
Priceless 

 

[longbowbbs]

 

I like music more than I like audio equipment. I value musical enjoyment over authenticity. I don't buy music that I don't like simply because it's been recorded well and sounds good on my system. In a lot of ways I'm anti-audiophile.

I screw**g hate Diana Krall.

 
I just got owned (was listening to Diana Krall right now)

 
Besame Mucho my friend....

 

[citraian]

   
Besame Mucho my friend....

 
) Love Me Like A Man )
(2004 - The Girl in the Other Room - Diana Krall)

 

[Tony1110]

:rolleyes:

) Love Me Like A Man )
(2004 - The Girl in the Other Room - Diana Krall)

:rolleyes:

 

[citraian]

 

 

[negura]

   
I just got owned (was listening to Diana Krall right now)

 
Well deserved imo. 

 
(Rhetorical) This just ocurred to me: Could it be that some people actually like this stuff?

 

[dan.gheorghe]

← Power Inspired AG500 Power Regenerator Review

Simaudio Moon Evolution 650D – Review →​

Previous : Power Inspired AG500 Power Regenerator Review

 

Creek OBH-21 Review

 
Posted on September 19, 2013by HeadMania
Hey guys,

This little guy brought some memories back when I’ve seen it on one of jack’s shelves.

A few years ago when I got into this hobby, I was looking for an headphone amplifier for my newly bought Sennheiser HD595. This was one of the choices I had at that moment, as it was one of the few headphone amplifiers sold at that moment in Romania.

I decided to go with a Corda Cantate 2 instead.

However I have always been curious of what it is capable of.

Well let’s see how it stands.



The amplifier looks quite nice and has a good build quality.

In the front it has 2 headphone inputs and a volume control.

In the back it has 2 rca inputs and 2 rca outputs.

It also features a 24v  power supply.

You can find the full specs here.



The tests have been done with Burson Conductor as DAC, Audiobyte Hydra-X as usb interface,  Sennheiser HD800 &  PowerInspired AG500.

Let’s get to the sound of Creek.

Zdob si Zdub – Ciobanul vrea sa se desparta de oi

The song really caught my attention. The bass had a good punch, it was well controlled and had nice extension. The sound was opened, detailed & relaxed but with good PRAT. The drums had a very good impact and the whistle a decent extension and spatial presence.

Michal Jackson – Man in the mirror

Michael’s voice was very personal and had a good texture. The synergy with HD800 is amazing on such a small amp. No harsh sound at all. The treble is well extended but without being harsh. Again the PRAT and bass impact was very good.

Massive Attack – Teardrop

The OBH-21 really impressed me with the bass. It has a really nice punch and transient response. The sound has weight on HD800 and that is extremely important for me. I just loved the voice on creek. It had a very good tonality, very natural and intimate.

Enya – The Celts

Ok, I observed that I love the voices on the little creek. It was only fair to test it with one of my favorite female singers.  It was as I expected. Her voice had a good presence with good tonality. The layering & soundstage were quite decent. One thing I observed is that the sound had a little grain in it compared to Conductor….but the comparison is not fair.

Coldplay – Don’t Panic

Creek strikes again. The guitars were really nice tickling the ears with their very present plucking. The voice again had a very pleasant tonality and texture.

Leonard Cohen – Here it is

The voices are a treat on creek obh-21.  They are not as well extend as on Conductor (again not fair comparison), however they have a very warm and pleasant tonality with decent texture.

The Fellowship of the Ring – Concerning Hobbits 

The cello at the beginning has a good weight and tactility. The sound is relaxed, opened and yet detailed overall very pleasant to listen to. The mids were present, had a sweet tonality and were quite detailed.

Summary:

Bass

The bass on the Creek OBH-21 is quite impressive. It has a very good punch  & extension.

Mids

The mids are sweet and quite detailed entangling themselves in a very balanced way with the lows and with the extended but not harsh at all treble.

Treble

The treble has a decent extension without being harsh.

Transient response

It is full of energy, has a good PRAT,  and has a very good transient response. The drums, guitars plucks and similar sounds are very nice with the obh-21.

Voices

I loved how the voices were reproduced by the Creek. They had a very warm, pleasant and intimate tonality with a good texture and presence.

Energy

This little guy is on steroids as it really makes me dance while listening to music.



Conclusions

I am glad I had the chance to listen to it, as it brings a lot in it’s small package. To be sincere, I wasn’t expecting this much from it, so I can say it surprised me a little.

One other thing I didn’t expect is the fact that it has a very good synergy with HD800, having a good prat, good bass, detailed mids, well extended treble without being bright .

I have also tested Audeze LCD2 a little with it. It was quite nice, but it felt a little under powered for it.

It is very good at it’s price and would make an excellent first amp or for a “portable” sound system for the workplace.

One thing I forgot to mention is the fact that OBH-21 is out of production.

Pros

1. bass with good punch and extension
2. detailed sweet mids
3. well extended but not harsh treble
4. good transient response
5. good PRAT and energetic sound
6. good voice reproduction

Cons

1. at this price I cannot find any cons

Next
 
SimAudio Moon Evolution 650D - DAC Review 

 

[dan.gheorghe]

← Creek OBH-21 Review

 ​

Previous: Creek OBH-21 Review

 

Simaudio Moon Evolution 650D – Review

Posted on September 22, 2013by HeadMania
Hey guys,

I have something special prepared for this review. It has excellent build quality and very good sound:



Just kidding 

However I really have something special prepared for this review: the Simaudio Moon 650D DAC .

After I have listened to the Msb Analog Dac I haven’t stop thinking of it and also never looked with the same eyes  at my home system.

What has been heard….cannot be unheard.

When I have the time, I go to Jack and watch the analog dac from the shadows, planning, hoping, scheming, waiting…

( If you want to know if the seal made it, read the whole article ) 

 )

I cannot thinking at the similarity of my salary with this hobby and this animation:



I thought of starting to check out some other DACS meanwhile and I am lucky to say I got the Moon 650D  for this review.



I just love how it looks, especially in the black version. Both design and build quality are very good.  The chassis is truly impressive. As it says int the specifications, it has an ultra rigid chassis construction with the purpose of minimization of the effects of external vibrations.

It feels like a small deluxe bunker.

This is a 2 in one unit: DAC & CD Transport.

You can find the full specifications and features here.

The 650D is the little brother of 750D which is 4000$ more expensive. Both have similar digital and analog circuits, but not identical.



If we look inside the first impression is that is kind of empty. Where are all the circuits? Well, Moon used four layered boards as with 750D, so imagine a single layered board ~4 times the size of what you see there.

The 750D usese 24 stages of voltage regulation, the 650D 18 stages. Both are fully balanced in design.

650D has the same Simaudio’s Moon Asynchronous Jitter Control (M-AJiC) as it’s bigger brother, which is designed to reduce internal jitter to 1 picosecond .

The CD player is a part of Simaudio’s proprietary M-Quattro Drive transport, mounted on a gel-based, four point floating suspension.

On the rear panel you can see all inputs: S/PDIF via RCA, Toslink, USB, AES/EBU via XLR.



You can also see here the analog outpus: S/PDIF, AES/EBU (XLR), IEC power chord intlet, A RS-232 port for firmware updates, a SimLink for communication with other Simaudio components and two XLR connectors for an external power supply that is sold separately.



Ok let’s get to what we all are waiting for : the sound.

The tests have been done with Burson Conductor , Audiobyte Hydra-X as usb interface,  Sennheiser HD800, Moon 650D &  PowerInspired AG500 which powered both Conductor and Moon.

I have tested Hydra-X with 650D, but I am pleased to say that the usbimplementation from moon surpasses the results from hydra and moon’s coaxial input: faster more natural decay, better transient response, more details, better soundstage.  Hydra has a little more bass but it is a little more lazy, giving a more deeper bass but not as controlled.

This could mean 2 things : the usb input from 650d is better than it’s coax input, or the usb input from 650d is better than hydra’s.

What is important is that I did not feel it was necessary to buy an external usb interface for the 650D as it already has a very good one.

Edit:

Later on I found that the slow decay wasn’t hydra’s fault, it was the W&M coax cable attached to it. I have found another cable that brought it closer to 650D’s usb input. Who said cable don’t matter? 

Let’s check the sound on some songs.

Coldplay – Parachutes – High Speed

Those guitars that start with the song are fantastic. The plucks are tickling my ears. The drums have a very good impact and the voice is very natural. All the instruments are very well placed and very present through the very airy scene.

Silent Strike – Asian paper circus

I got goose bumps more than twice on this song. This song plays with the sounds and location of the sounds and the 650D performs wonderful in this regard. The Chinese instrument is amazing as it shows the very good extension of the treble which is not at all bright. The bass is very well extended, controlled and has a excellent impact.

Dire Straits – Money For Nothing – Down To The Waterline

Ok, I got goosebumps again. This song starts with some very subtle sounds that withHD800 & Moon 650D weren’t so subtle any more, but very present and detailed. The guitar is holographic with a wonderful extension.

BattlerStar Galactica – Civilian Standoff On the Scylla 

The flute from the beginning is amazing. It has so much texture and presence that it caught my attention instantly. The drums are so fine that you want to go to battle at the end of the song.

Enya – The Lord of The Rings – The Fellowship of The Ring – The Council of Elrond

Should I tell you that I got goosebumps again? The sound is so opened so airy, so detailed, that when Enya starts singing if you close your eyes you can see Rivendell. Her voice is wonderfully extended and really makes you stop from whatever you are doing and just listen. The orchestra is equally impressive, detailed, very well placed into a large soundstage.

ACDC – The Razors Edge – Thunderstruck

From the beginning you know you are going for a ride. The voices are extremely detailed with rugged texture and incredible layering.  The guitars have an excellent extension and just play from one layer to the other with ease. The voice has depth and presence  and the drums made me feel like in the ACDC concert from Bucharest.

Leonard Cohen – Here it is

Leonard’s voice struck again as it was excellently reproduced by the moon 650d which captured the essence of his rugged voice and made me feel like I am in studio with him.  The voice was so textured … so rugged that I felt like coughing  to clear my trout.

Stravinsky – Firebird – Inferno Dance

WOW. The scene is so opened so airy, every instrument has a very precise location and the sound is extremely well layered. The transient response is amazing, the decays fast but still natural. You can hear every little sound from the orchestra.

Loreena McKennitt – The Gates of Instanbul

The micro details are incredible. The plucks from the beginning are something to remember. While the guitars go into a more distance layer they maintain their impact and their tactility over the song showing the quality of the dynamics and micro-dynamics. The bass extension and punch are top notch as well. Loreena’s voice combined with all the instruments just gave me goosebumps again.



Summary:

Bass

The bass is very well extended with excellent punch and control. If you are listening to a war song with drums, at the end of the song you will be ready for battle.

Mids

The mids are wonderful on the whole spectrum from lower to higher mids. Every instrument has presence and extension. Both female and male voices are mesmerizing.

Treble

The treble has a very good extension and by no means is it bright, not even with HD800.

Details & Micro-Details

This is one thing that pops up from the start. You can hear sounds from the studio while listening the the song. If you listen to an orchestra you can hear the conductor move or breath. With guitars you can hear how the fingers touch the chords.

Dynamics 

You can hear/feel the instruments at whatever level / layer they are.

Transient response

The transient response is amazing. Every sound has impact and energy.

Decay

The decay is fast but natural and combined with the excellent transients, it gives energy to the music.

Voices

Both female and male voices give you goosebumps and make you feel that you have the singer near you.

Soundstage – Imaging

The soundstage is large and the imaging pinpoints the location of the sound with ease. If you close your eyes you can see all the instruments in space.



Conclusions

This DAC really took me through a wonderful listening experience.

You will ask me if it beat the Analog Dac. Well, no, it didn’t, but it was still a wonderful experience. The Analog Dac is still my dream dac.

These 2 are in a similar price range, but don’t forget that the Moon 650D is a CD Transport as well and has all the inputs / outputs you need by default, as with MSB you have to pay 1000$ for any additional input you want. The moon is also fully balanced.

Overall, the Moon 650D was the best DAC I have tested after the MSB Analog Dac.

Pros:

1.  excellent build quality & design
2. good cd transport
3. lots of inputs and outputs
4. fully balanced
5. very good usb implementation so no need to buy a 3rd party usb interface
6. excellent bass
7. excellent dynamics
8. details and micro details
9. very good imaging and opened sound
10. very present voices
11. very good transients and decay

Cons

1. price

P.S.  No seal has been hurt during this review. The seal from the beginning escaped. 

 )




Next:
 
FiiO E12 Mont Blanc - Review

 

[Tony1110]

Well deserved imo. 

(Rhetorical) This just ocurred to me: Could it be that some people actually like this stuff?

It's a wonder Elvis Costello hasn't strangled her

 

[commtrd]

I like music more than I like audio equipment. I value musical enjoyment over authenticity. I don't buy music that I don't like simply because it's been recorded well and sounds good on my system. In a lot of ways I'm anti-audiophile.

I screw**g hate Diana Krall.

 
Amen brother! It is quite surprising how much of the [music?] that is posted on the music that makes your headphones go wow thread in particular sounds absolutely hideous. To each his own I guess... I bought a Diana Krall cd and tried listening to it a few times and not once could I listen to it all the way through. Now I really refuse to buy any music until I know I want to add it to my collection. I don't buy much music...

 

[commtrd]

How would you say the Moon Audio 650D compare to the MSB dac? I think someday I will try to acquire the MSB and pair it with the Odyssey Cyclops speaker amp. Supposedly a beautiful pairing with the LCD3...

 

[Allucid]

Man,can't wait to read your story!

Happy you like it. 

Nobody wants to share their stories about how they got into this hobby? 

I wanted some new headphones. As a victim of marketing, I almost bought Beats. Until a friend came in and said: No! Not Beats!
I ended up with V-MODA. For Christmas the same year, I got my first amp, the FiiO E17. I mainly use it for DAC these days.
Few months ago, I got into FLAC audio quality. I was hooked, and my iPod can't hold that much FLAC, so I use LAME 320kps.

I've gone through one pair of LP2s and one pair (now repaired by V-MODA) M100s.
I have LP2 x E17 and M100 x E12 Mont Blanc.
I'm an audiophile on a budget, I don't have the money like the OP to spend on headphones/equipment.