[ADD]

I've had my Cute Beyond for a about 4 months now so I thought it was a good idea to see if I could fine tune the sound closer to my ideal with a little op amp rolling. After reading up on the forum archives I decided to buy an OPA2107 to substitute for the stock OPA2227.

After reading the glowing reports I have to say that whilst I can understand how the OPA2107 might sound better to many, it doesn't seem to do a very good job with classical music in this amplifier. I actually found the OPA2227 to render much more accurately the subtleties of acoustic instrument timbres such as strings, woodwind, etc.

On the other hand, the OPA2107 sounded a bit more open and detailed and the mid-bass was noticably clearer (less muddy). But at the end of the day, the OPA2107 is fatiguing to my ears because it doesn't really possess the accuracy that the OPA2227 does for acoustic classical music.

I'm just wondering what other options there might be to try? I'd love to try an op amp that combines the best characteristics of the above amps and without their respective weaknesses.

 

[ADD]

Well, I think I have one possible answer. I bought an AD823 and an OPA2604 yesterday. The OPA2604 is very promising indeed for classical when used in this amp. The bass end is a bit cleaner and the mids and highs better defined but without the slight harshness in the violins that I find with the OPA2107 and AD823.

Funny thing is it seems to need about 5 - 10 minutes to warm up - maybe it needs a bit of burning in. Seems to run at a higher temperature than the other op amps too.

On a not-so-funny note these op amps remind me I am in the early stages of middle age - I can't read the darned numbers on them without a heck of a lot of effort!

 

[jack1960]

Interesting, I’d also like to try some op amp rolling on the Cute Beyond. What is your source? Which headphones are you using?

 

[ADD]

Hi,

In this particular setup I am running Sennheiser HD555 headphones with an iriver T60 as the source (all files on the T60 are 320 kbps Fraunhofer encoded). Though the op amp seems great regardless of the source, whether that be the iriver, straight out of my computer soundcard or my turntable.

 

[jack1960]

Thanks. My source is a Marantz SA8001 and my phones are Senn 595's. I guess I should try the OPA2604.

 

[StayOnBoard]

I just got the Cute Beyond as well! Absolutely love it.

I got mine from here, the price was really good! Even better than I found on most other sites.

Anyways, I haven't really tried to do much with it other than listen to my tunes. Im curious, does what you are saying really make THAT big of a difference?

 

[ADD]

The effects can tend to be pretty subtle. I have actually tried interconnects that influence the sound more than an op amp change.

That said, I do tend to find the 2227 in the stock amp to be lacking a bit of biffo at the extreme top end, sounding a bit muddled in the mid bass and lacking very deep bass extension - something that isn't a problem with any of the other op amps I have tried so far (2604, 2107 and AD823).

I would suggest probably spend a fair bit of time getting used to the stock amp with your favourite music. Then if you want to change op amps, the improvements (or sideways steps) will be much more apparent.

In my experience thus far, I've found it best to tune the op amp at the same time I select an interconnect, since they both will influence the sound and provide the opportunity to perform more accurate fine tuning to taste.

 

[Mulo]

I'm envious. If I had a Cute Beyond I would probably try the LME49720/LM4562 and the AD8599. I like the OPA2227 btw, instead the OPA2107 wasn't so utterly convincing when I put it in a iBasso P1. Oh, and try the AD746 as well.

 

[majkel]

HD555 -> AD8066, if there is no more supply voltage than 24V total
HD595 -> as above or 2*AD825 if you use the adapter
I haven't tried the AD8599 nor the LM4562.

 

[Mulo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by majkel /img/forum/go_quote.gif HD555 -> AD8066, if there is no more supply voltage than 24V total HD595 -> as above or 2*AD825 if you use the adapter I haven't tried the AD8599 nor the LM4562.

Interesting suggestions; though I didn't like the AD8066 too much in a Xenos amp which drove my HD485. Too cold, and a bit rough; at least in that amp. I'd like to try the AD825 instead, since me likes what they say about it. While I'm at it, the LT1058 is another opamp I'd try in the Cute (it's dual and there's the DIP version).

 

[ADD]

Well this is as good as it has gotten so far: Twin cylinders

A bit expensive but now I can see why the AD797 is so highly regarded. Of all the op amps I have tried I would rate them best to worst thus:

AD797
OPA2132
OPA2107
OPA2227
AD823

and some very cheap National one I had lying around LM358 I think.

 

[Mulo]

If ever electronics were sexy...

Congrats! The AD797 would have been at the top of my list for that amp, too (though I didn't mention it before

). Where did you find that adapter? It's not a browndog..

 

[ADD]

Yes, I am very impressed with the twin AD797. I think it is about as good as it gets. I think the HD555 phones are now the weak link - I plan to eventually get the HD650. But the AD797 is very sweet and musical and doesn't have any offensive characteristics compared to the others.

I got these AD797s from a chap on eBay who solders the adapter together and sells them in sets of two for $40 US (in other words you get two adaptors and thus 4 x AD797 in total). I haven't seen a browndog in the flesh, but with this adapter, each AD797 goes into it's own DIP socket and then the adapter has 8 long pins. The long pins are quite important in this case because of the IC seated right next to the op amp DIP socket.

I can't complain at all about the $40 - I think considering he has to make the adapters up it is excellent value, because even to buy an AD797 seperately here in Australia costs about $30 a piece!! So to get 4 of them and all the adapters made up for about $50 AUD is very good.

Apart from that my soldering skills are no where near good enough to do such precision soldering, so I have to get these ready made.

If anyone is interested, the eBay seller is tube_buyer (over 99% positive feedback).

 

[inkbyfinch]

Hi there ADD, i just bought the AD797 from a hongkong dude off ebay. there is also OPA627 on 2:1 adapter for sale there, but since u already use it (AD797) , i am confident enough to upgrade to this AD797 opamp for my cute beyond.

 

[digismurf]

How do these amps compare to other higher end opamp based amps like the better Headroom stuff or solid state stuff from Ray Samuel's like the XP-7?