[kaitsuburi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore Any pics of the Talisman amp?

The site just re-opened in July: Talisman Audio

-kaitsuburi

 

[ooheadsoo]

I thought that people said that the 770's were super bright in addition to mega bass. I wouldn't have thought that it would pair well with the benchmark.

 

[ampgalore]

Looks tempting. But where did you get it for $450? It's over $500 on the site.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore For high resolution formats, manufacturers decrease the resolution of the digital out, as well as increase the signal to noise ratio. As a result, you are missing a lot of what is happening in your music. It's like you are reading this thread, but some posts on this thread are blocked out.

Oh I'm well aware of that problem, though it sounds like our pal DIP16 has a way around it somehow, and if that is the case, then I'm all ears

 

[ampgalore]

Are there any reviews for the Talisman?

 

[dip16dac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iron_Dreamer Please explain exactly how you're getting high-res DVDA into the DAC1 uncorrupted, becuase there is a DVDA of Motorhead's "Ace of Spades," down at Best Buy just waiting to rock out with me

I'm just feeding toslink out of my 563A into the DAC1 to get better than 44.1/16 sound.
Another way is feeding 96/24 into the RME PAD analog input and toslink out to the DAC1.
If you have the 1212m, you should be able to feed it 192/24 analog and then use coax to get the digital 192/24 to the DAC1.

 

[kunwar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore Are there any reviews for the Talisman?

Mate
I can point you to 2 reviews done for the amp by me and another head-fier TonytripleA.
Snufkin also owns this particular amp.
kaitsuburi: Welcome to the club mate.

The links to the Talisman are

http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...Talisman+Audio
http://www5.head-fi.org/forums/showt...light=Talisman

The beauty of the Talisman amp is that it is incredibly powerful. The other beauty of the amp is that it is totally clean i.e. adds nothing to the sound at all, it does not add or take away anything for the sound

you can check out the pics there too.
It is definitely the finest SS amp i have heard.
The Benchmark is the perfect source for it.
It does not colour the sound or do anything to it.
Once one has these 2 components, one can safely assume that if anything is heard in terms of colouring or brightness, etc. is a trait of the headphones and not the source + amp.
I hope that helps
I will in the near future be reviewing a Meridian 588/ Wadia 302 against the DAC1 for pure music presentation. I will also compare the headphone out to the amps I currently own.

cheers
Kunwar

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ooheadsoo I thought that people said that the 770's were super bright in addition to mega bass. I wouldn't have thought that it would pair well with the benchmark.

Well the 80 ohm version I have isn't bright at all, nor dark, the treble seems just about right. The 250 ohm ones I used to have were quite bright and sharp up top. The Benchmark takes control of the mega bass, so it ends up sounding quite super to me.

 

[tiberian]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampgalore Please do Tiberian. Looking forward to reading it.

well i have listened to the benchmark and the emu with a headsave mint (sorry didn't have the correct connectors for the xp-7), i have to say the benchmark is much much better than the emu.
benchmark sounded fuller with better detail, instrument seperation was also better. for speed and attack, benchmark simply owned, emu sounded quite unfocused and notes jammed together on fast techno-ish songs...

 

[ampgalore]

Thanks Tiberian for the comparison. It's good to know about the differences between these two.

 

[tiberian]

surprisingly the emu wasn't bad at all on slow songs...it just got owned when fast songs came over. IMO for $200 the emu is hard to beat as the budget-to-mid-fi source.

 

[TonyTripleA]

Thanks Kunwar,

Mate, knowing your superlative taste in audio gear I put a lot of confidence in your words on the DAC. This does seem like a very good way to go instead of upgrading sources to the financially crippling level without compromising SQ.

I have to echo your views on the Talisman: it is head and shoulders above the Perreaux and Xcan3 amps, and the headphone out on my NAD surround amp. It is to my ears far more detailed than the MG Head OTL 32 (hey I still love that amps "sound signature" though). I don't think any headphone amp I have ever heard has the clarity, resolution, separation and omph of the Talisman. I thought it was good when I heard it at your place. And good in the shop when I made the final decision. But at home with my system I can hear massive improvements over what I was used to (and I was pretty happy before).

Don't get me saving up for that DAC anytime soon though my wife is understanding but...

Cheers,

TonyAAA

 

[kunwar]

I want to just clarify that the headphone am on the Benchmark DAC1 is no minnow, most people who have not had the chance to hear better amps will not feel the urge to upgrade to an amp.
it is very clean, clear and detailed.
Totally hiss free and very well put together.
If it was a separate unit then with RCA connectors, separate case, power supply etc. It would be worthy of a $400 price tag atleast.

I personally only use the Talisman because i find it the most neutral and clear amp as far as staying true to the signal is concerned. Since no opamps are used no colouring of sound occurs. This makes it perfect for my usage.
If you want coloured sound then the Talisman would not be good for you.
I personally prefer to change a headphone as I know it will be the only component i might ever change or upgrade.

A headphone should sound musical, not require amping and colouration for it to sound good.
That is what also attracts me to the Grado PS-1 , the fact that it has the grado signature to it with added bass.
That is the final headphone for me.
Maybe if someone can tell if it is worth double the money i will pay for it compared to the Alessandro MS Pros, I might get it.

-Kunwar

 

[lojay]

Quote:

well i have listened to the benchmark and the emu with a headsave mint (sorry didn't have the correct connectors for the xp-7), i have to say the benchmark is much much better than the emu. benchmark sounded fuller with better detail, instrument seperation was also better. for speed and attack, benchmark simply owned, emu sounded quite unfocused and notes jammed together on fast techno-ish songs...

Quote:

surprisingly the emu wasn't bad at all on slow songs...it just got owned when fast songs came over. IMO for $200 the emu is hard to beat as the budget-to-mid-fi source.

Agreed. I'll write more on this on the Source forums as this isn't quite an amp to amp comparison.

The DAC1's are Music With Authority. That's enough said.

 

[chiefroastbeef]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lojay The DAC1's are Music With Authority. That's enough said.

rawr