Quote:
Originally Posted by Karlosak /img/forum/go_quote.gif
bada bing,
could you describe the change from SE to balanced with B22? I would like to hear an honest opinion from a solid state guy before I ditch the stock cable for XLR 4-pin re termination, thanks.
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I'm probably like you in that I didn't want to butcher the stock cable to re terminate XLR and was looking for replacement cable options. That idea lasted 4 days before curiosity overcame plans and the cable got cut-n-patched.
My Beta is 4 board wired with the choice of 2 passive ground S.E. outputs or balanced. The biggest difference between balanced and SE in the HD800 is the soundstage. I found the S.E. soundstage to be very large and distinct towards the center of the field, but the outer boundaries have a bit of less distinct location. It seemed like you could convince yourself that sound sources moved a bit if you concentrated on it. I wouldn't describe it as muddy at all, just movable. It is a different presentation than I've heard with other cans with good to great soundstaging. Usually the edges get fuzzy and less clear at the same time the location becomes muddled. S.E.'d, The HD800 retains clarity to the edge but the location can move a bit.
Going balanced glues the sound source positions in place and they become point sources from edge to edge. Balanced, the soundfield is very crisp and can come close to the 3d presentation of my K1000 on some material. I find the k1000 to be in clearly its own league with soundstaging, especially with complex material with large numbers of sound sources. The HD800 can keep up the imaging until there is a quartet or quintet playing. As more instruments are added the K1000 leaves it behind, as it does every other can.
The other change going from S.E. to balanced is a small smoothing and extension of the Bass a touch lower. It tightens the lower end of the bass up a touch. The bass is already very good, I'd have a hard time saying it has a peer in the bass range and quality with the bass quantity being just right to my ears. Balanced it is just a touch moar-betta.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Karlosak /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The common view that they need a tube amp is a nonsense IMHO.
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From what I'm hearing, I have no desire to chase for the ultimate tube set to roll for the HD800. To my ears it is asking for the flattest, most transparent drive available, not to be matched with the best synergistic coloration of a set of tubes. I'm not totally anti-tube, they have some magic in some pairings. I'm betting with the HD800 though, you could chase through many expensive tube options for many hours to find the "ideal" match, Then quickly A/B with a worthy solid state to find you'd lost much more than you gained in the tube quest.
I'm hoping to have a Dynamite put together by the end of the summer so I'll have another point of reference. By then there ought to be many volumes of opinions on amp-n-HD800 as well.