JaZZ
Headphoneus Supremus
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The Earmax Pro is the oldest of my three amps. Currently the tubes in it are the following: Jan Philips 12AT7WC in the input and 2x Telefunken E88CC in the output stage; all tubes are equipped with homemade (polypropylene) damper rings. The Corda HA-2 has been upgraded to MkII level by Jan Meier and should virtually sound like the new Prehead MkII. (I had the pleasure to extensively audition two prototypes of it, the second representing the final version as to the sonic characteristic, apart from minor parts-quality upgrades in the series. Note that this MkII upgrade is not offered by Jan, it was just a friendly turn from his part.) The Talisman T-3H is my latest acquisition. I have taken care to let it burn in. Its sonic appearance has changed quite a bit since the beginning, and entirely in a positive way.
Equipment used:
Sources: mainly Philips DVD 963SA as transport with Bel Canto DAC2; occasionally the Philips' analog out was used, especially for SACDs. Alternative source: Kurt's Benchmark DAC-1.
Interconnects: optical cable (Hama) between transport and DAC; Zu Gede (length 20 cm) between DAC and amp.
Headphones: mainly Sennheiser HD 650 with Zu Mobius (1 m), moreover HD 600 with Oehlbach cable (1.2 m), modded Etymotic ER-4P/X, Grado SR-225 with flat Sennheiser pads.
My amplifier career -- to give an idea where I come from as to the experience with headphone amps: Musical Fidelity X-Cans; Corda HA-1, later upgraded by KurtW to Corda «Blue»; Porta Corda, later decently upgraded by KurtW; Corda HA-2; Earmax Pro with various tube constellations; 2 Prehead (MkII) prototypes loaned by Jan Meier; Talisman T-3H. Homemade potentiometer-based passive headphone «amp»; ASL Reference Tools (transformer-based passive headphone «amp»).
Sonic reference:
passive headphone «amp», consisting of a 500-ohm potentiometer and switchable additional 500-ohm parallel resistors (to compensate for the higher virtual serial resistance with mid-level settings). The DAC2's line-out stage has an output impedance of 20 ohm; together with its current-supply capability as well as the absence of any corruptive serial capacitance this allows it to drive headphones directly, enabling to virtually hear the pure source signal as it is (in this case ignoring the sound transducers' signal corruption) before further amplification. I've thoroughly tested the impact of the low load impedance (the Sennheisers' >300 ohm) on the DAC2's output signal as well as the impact of the potentiometer; they have turned out to be negligible (pot) or causing no audible signal corruption (low impedance).
Every new headphone amp I audition makes me astonished about the wide variety of sonic characteristics and the high degree of the deviations among amplifiers -- given that they all measure more or less the same with conventional measuring methods. Normally it's impossible to judge which of them is closest to the truth since the other components in the chain add their own colorations, so what you hear is the combination of different colorations which may form a more or less favorable synergy. So it's good -- or at least interesting -- to have a sonic reference, even though in the individual case the amp closest to the «sonic truth» isn't necessarily the best choice, but the one with the most ideal synergy. To tell the truth: on the performance level of the reviewed amps in my subjective perception no amp is closer to the original sound than say 30% compared to the least accurate sounding one. At the same time the sonic differences among them are of even higher percentages.
Earmax Pro
Physically this amp is very small, also thanks to the external power-supply unit. Sonically this is a notedly adult amp. It has the strongest bass of all candidates, juicy, quite well controlled and tight. There's simply nothing to criticize on the sound, but all the more to be appreciated. It has an organic, liquid and airy nature rich of colors, but no obvious coloration. Very high detail resolution and great extension to both directions, especially the upper end sounds like there's no limit, without being sharp or harsh, save when there are such components in the recording. Large orchestra remains transparent and clear even in the tightest, most complex passages, and in terms of instrument separation the EMP is masterly. (It has to be said that the tube dampers play an important part with this.) Compared to the direct connection there's a mellow «golden» sheen on the tones making the sound slightly richer and warmer, without seriously affecting transparency and resolution. In my understanding this is not a «sirupy» sound, like typical tube sound is often characterized: no trace of viscosity -- if any, it's very low viscosity, so let's call it liquidity (some of which is also present in the original signal BTW).
Upper mids and lower highs appear as a tiny bit subdued, without shifting the overall balance to the dark side though, but causing a slight smoothing of attacks and transients. In absolute terms dynamics are very good, and drum beats have speed and attack. The bass has punch and depth and is even the strongest of the trio, just a trace «slower» than the solid-state companions, but still controlled and tight. Its greatest strength is the reproduction of natural instruments and vocals. None of the other amps can sound so authentic with chamber orchestra. It takes a lot of care to microdetails on a recording and succeeds to render the instrument timbres almost perfectly. The soundstage is presented in a credible way, with good extension to all directions and very good focus. It can even be spectacular. Its ability to combine liquidity with palpability and airiness is astonishing. It sounds musical in the best sense without adding overly euphonic coloration. Although it has to be said that the original (the direct connection to the DAC2) sounds a bit less organic and warm and offers even higher transparency and control as well as a slightly sleeker, purer upper end with a somewhat more pronounced digital timbre (with CDs). So the EMP also acts as sort of «naturalizer»... That doesn't mean it's less ideal for electronic music. Quite the opposite: its flowing nature and high detail resolution make listening to electronic music a pure pleasure. Just that sometimes the aggressiveness of certain shrill effects may be slightly tamed.
One thing that prevents the HD 600 from sounding equally enjoyable as the HD 650 (the above description is based upon) is the slightly smoothed treble response. Nevertheless the EMP is also an excellent match with the HD 600 if you like the slight tendency towards smoothness and warmth of this combination, which still provides a very transparent and detailed sound, just not equally lively and explosive as the HD 600/Corda combination.
The ER-4X is a very good match with the EMP. Full bass, liquid-smooth and colorful mids, very clear and accurate, delicate treble. The most organic sound of all amps, thus a good compensation for this precision fanatic. Maybe the best synergy with the ER-4X?
As to the SR-225: this is the least favorable combination of all the described cases. Bass is slightly bloated, midrange is heavily lacking and treble is a bit sharp and not overly clear.
Corda HA-2 MkII
This amp has authority. Its sonic spectrum is extremely extended from lowest bass to highest treble, with a very flat response. Nothing is missing, nothing is obviously wrong. In comparison to the original HA-2 the upgrade has brought a refined characteristic and subjectively an even flatter frequency response. The bass is more even -- the slight boominess in the upper bass has disappeared, so the low bass has gained a bit more weight. The midrange has become even smoother and offers even higher resolution, with slightly less pronounced texturing. The treble is where the most obvious change has happened: it is smoother than ever, extremely transparent and clear and extends far beyond the audible range (not that the original HA-2 doesn't do that!), meaning the upper end is very present and not rolled off at all. In comparison (only then) the original HA-2 has a hint of graininess in the upper mids/lower treble due to a slight (perceived) accentuation of this range. The downside is a certain loss of texture and a slight tendency towards sleekness in the treble. This phenomenon makes the MkII quite a bit sensitive to interconnects (the Zu Gede has eliminated this problem). It is to say though that this characteristic is closer to the direct-connection characteristic than the slight overtexturing tendency of the original HA-2.
The MkII version sounds more spectacular and «extended» -- and a bit brighter -- than the normal HA-2 and may be the most spectacular sounding of the three amps. Its clarity and brilliance reminds a bit of electrostatics. The clarity also extends to the lower mids and the bass which form a pleasant «carpet» on which the faster sonic events build up without being the least masked by the former. Symphonies are one of its strengths. It allows a credible insight into the concert hall. Strings are reproduced with a silky timbre, brass has spectacular brilliance and energy, timpani have heavy impact, double basses sound voluminous and well textured at the same time. I perceive the lows and partly the mids as slightly warm sounding, whereas the highs are rather on the cool side -- a contrast I also detected with the original HA-2, although less pronounced, especially as to the treble. Paradoxically this doesn't prevent the Corda from being one of the most coherent sounding amps I've heard. And it's most likely the cause for its rich palette of sonic colors. Nevertheless, the MkII isn't a euphonic amp, much rather has to be classified as fairly neutral and accurate. If anything could be criticized, it's the slight tendency towards astringency. However, the HA-2 MkII has a sonic balance very close to the direct connection. It's just the EMP's more liquid character that makes it sound more similar to the original, but then again, when it comes to transient speed, the HA-2 MkII has the edge.
The above is also valid for the HD 600, with the exception of the «sleekness» issue which is none in view of the HD 600's dryer treble. It is an absolutely excellent match with the upgraded HA-2 (and so should be with the Prehead MkII). I've never heard the HD 600 sound so accurate, fresh, transparent, lively and expressive, hence musical, like with this amp. The HD 650 still sounds better from an «objective» point of view, but in terms of musicality and enjoyment they are close.
The ER-4X is an especially good match with the Corda. With no other amp it has such a speed and such a great transparency. Drum beats are like little explosions in the ears -- maybe a bit overkill?
The SR-225 seems to like the Corda best. As far as the Grado can be called natural at all
, this is the amp which makes it sound most natural and balanced among the contenders. At the same time it provides the greatest clarity, transparency and transient speed.
I left Crossfeed out in this comparison, since it's a feature only provided by the Corda; moreover I only use it if absolutely necessary.
Talisman T-3H
This amp sounds quite a bit special compared to the others and compared to the direct connection. It has some emphasis from the midrange up to the lower treble, followed by a smooth roll-off up to higher frequencies. The bass is slightly on the lean side, but reaches deep and has punch. The resulting «plateau» makes for a somewhat artificial sonic signature that unfortunately is audible no matter what headphone I've used. But it's not as dramatic as it may sound -- and compensated by a virtue which may be a consequence of it: No other amp has the same degree of contour and accuracy when it comes to transients. Notes sound as articulate and clear like written in stone. At the same time there's a liquidity in the sound that makes them appear as pure as well water running over stones in a creekbed... (which may at least partly be caused by the smoothed upper end). So despite the analytical tendency given by the «artificial» mids/lower treble accentuation I perceive the sonic character as absolutely musical. It facilitates to follow complex structures with the composition as well as sonically complex passages and makes the music sound especially expressive and meaningful. BTW in this respect it has a strong resemblance to the Silver Dragon HD 650 replacement cable, apart from the Talisman's smoothness which is a bit lacking with the Silver Dragon.
String orchestras sound silky smooth, smoother than with the Corda. And this smoothness is a bit of a problem to my ears. It's too obvious that it's caused by the treble roll-off, and it gives the impression of a slight artificiality. Symphonic music is reproduced on an impressive soundstage. The slight «digital» overtone artifacts with CDs are clearly reduced -- compared to the other amps and the direct connection -- with the help of the T-3H's smooth upper end. Nevertheless, as non-digital classical orchestral music sounds when it comes to overtones, it's hard to ignore the slight omnipresent artificiality from its sonic-balance problem, although it absolutely doesn't harm the musical flow nor the musical expression, quite the opposite. A funny detail: I've digitalized some vinyl tracks (Jan Hammer, Dave Greenslade, Blue Öyster Cult, Electric Prunes...) with my poor old Thorens TD 321/Linn Basik/Shure Ultra 500 and a new Creek OBH-15 phono stage, including some sound editing (crossfeed, sonic balance, clicks) and burned them onto CD. Through the Talisman, they sound like they were pure digital recordings as to the upper-mids/lower-treble contour/conciseness, which makes this amp appear like made for vinyl... Although I can't offer much experience in this regard since I rarely listen to vinyl these days. However, through the other amps you hear the vinyl origin, and that's not really a good thing in this case.
Although the above description is mainly based on the audition with the HD 650, it also applies to the HD 600. It has a very good synergy with the Talisman and sounds highly transparent and detailed with it. The HD 600 develops a surprising clarity and liquidity and even a touch of coolness in the lower treble making it sound very enjoyable and musical, although not completely free of artificiality.
The ER-4X is a fairly good match with the T-3H. Full bass, liquid-smooth and colorful mids, very clear and accurate treble, which on the other hand is a bit too smooth for my taste.
The SR-225 sounds fairly good with the T-3H. The bass is tight and controlled, the midrange is colorful, but has an emphasis on the upper range reaching up to the lower treble. Quite pleasing and a good compensation for the Grado's tendency towards sharpness; there's even a trace of liquidity, but also a slight artificial timbre.
Some music examples to show how the amps compare in the concrete case.
Roxy Music - «Avalon» (SACD layer)
The Corda has the fastest pace with «Take a Chance with me». Perfect control, speed and dynamics as well as colorful instrument reproduction and extreme transparency. The EMP shows it in a more romantic light and with more atmosphere, with almost equal transparency and brilliance despite the smoother presentation. I think I like this album best with the EMP, closely followed by the Corda. The Talisman doesn't create the same fascination and atmosphere; there's not enough glitter highlights there, the focus is rather on the controlled and liquid-smooth midrange. Nevertheless, it also manages to please with its decently colorful reproduction, although it sounds flatter than the other amps, also as to the spatial depth.
John Abercrombie - «Class Trip»
This is maybe the best jazz recording I've ever heard as to the technical-esthetical quality. Without disregarding the musical quality though. The cymbals are so carefully and delicately recorded that one can get addictive to them. And there's a lot of air between the instruments. I've always found the Corda to be best with this CD, but now I think the EMP is very close if not equal. It provides the most natural instrument timbres and the most delicate cymbals with just the right golden sheen from the brass. The Corda on the other hand shows more of the energy and brilliance emanating from the vibrating metal, whereas the EMP is a bit smoother. It's hard to prefer one over the other, both manage to offer a highly fascinating sonic image. The Talisman sounds a bit bland in comparison; the cymbals tendentially sound like made of aluminum, with less brilliance, less delicacy and less fascination. Anyway, after a short adaptation there's nothing missing, although it doesn't offer the same high-end flair (ambiguousity intended). Well, after a few further minutes of adaptation it's there. But switching (back) to the EMP or the Corda immediately shows their superiority in terms of naturalness. It's not day and night, but the difference is there.
Telefon Tel Aviv - «Fahrenheit fair enough»
The scintillating synthesizer sounds are a domain of the Corda. No other amp is equally fast when it comes to reproduce the pace of these synthetic tones. But the EMP holds against it with its delicacy, accuracy and carefulness when it comes to overtones and high frequencies generally. It's more the midrange that's in the focus with the Talisman: midrange structures are reproduced with great accuracy and dynamic contrast, whereas the treble, while also reproduced with great precision, sounds a bit rounded and smoothed. Which is what can take some of the energy and pace away with this music. It's not dramatic though, just obvious in comparison. The bass is tight and precise with all amps, the least so with the EMP where it's slightly fuller than I would like it to be for this kind of music where everything has to be fast and controlled, but still on the pleasing side and not interfering with the music.
Harrison Birtwistle - «Earth Dances»
This is modern orchestral music of the atonal kind. There's a lot of percussion with high dynamics, and there's a lot of action going on, beside some more relaxed passages with violins in the fore. That's the battlefield where the Corda is unbeatable. With its speed and transparency it masters the most complex passages and the most dynamic eruptions with incomparable ease. What about the EMP? In some ways it sounds even more realistic and barely less transparent than the Corda, with even truer instrument timbres, even more colorful mids and even more impressive soundstage. But it has no chance when it comes to dynamic eruptions of the percussive kind. In these cases it is a bit too soft and slow in comparison. The Talisman offers a large soundstage and excellent instrument separation as well as high transparency, just with a trace of a midrange/lower treble emphasis making it sound slightly artificial again. Cymbals, hi-hats and all bright sounding percussion sound a bit rolled-off. Not in a dramatic way, but nonetheless slightly irritating in this case. I have to admit though that without the other amps and the direct connection as benchmarks I would have a hard time to come to the same critical attitude, taking its otherwise really excellent sonic performance into account.
<·>
It's hard to nominate a winner. I'd say there are two winners: Corda and EMP, both on a similar level, and one loser, the Talisman. But stop! In fact this comparison isn't really fair. The T-3H is the least expensive of the three.
That's what I paid, shipping included:
Talisman T-3H: € 488
Earmax Pro: € 529
Corda HA-2: € 560
But that's only half the story. Actually the EMP is by far the most expensive amp if you take the dozens of tubes into account I had to try before I've found the ideal combination -- I paid clearly more for all the tubes than for the amp itself. Even with only the current tubes in it it's worth well € 800 if not more. And the HA-2 MkII is even unpayable... it doesn't exist in this form yet. As to the sonic level it's even superior to the current Prehead which would cost me € 820, regular price. So in its price range the T-3H can absolutely go for a bargain in view of its excellent, although a bit idiosyncratic sonic performance. I'm sure many people will like its sound character which is at the same time mellow and accurate. And well, if you insist in a winner (of course from my subjective point of view), I think it's the Corda if I look at what amp gets the most listening time.
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The Earmax Pro is the oldest of my three amps. Currently the tubes in it are the following: Jan Philips 12AT7WC in the input and 2x Telefunken E88CC in the output stage; all tubes are equipped with homemade (polypropylene) damper rings. The Corda HA-2 has been upgraded to MkII level by Jan Meier and should virtually sound like the new Prehead MkII. (I had the pleasure to extensively audition two prototypes of it, the second representing the final version as to the sonic characteristic, apart from minor parts-quality upgrades in the series. Note that this MkII upgrade is not offered by Jan, it was just a friendly turn from his part.) The Talisman T-3H is my latest acquisition. I have taken care to let it burn in. Its sonic appearance has changed quite a bit since the beginning, and entirely in a positive way.
Equipment used:
Sources: mainly Philips DVD 963SA as transport with Bel Canto DAC2; occasionally the Philips' analog out was used, especially for SACDs. Alternative source: Kurt's Benchmark DAC-1.
Interconnects: optical cable (Hama) between transport and DAC; Zu Gede (length 20 cm) between DAC and amp.
Headphones: mainly Sennheiser HD 650 with Zu Mobius (1 m), moreover HD 600 with Oehlbach cable (1.2 m), modded Etymotic ER-4P/X, Grado SR-225 with flat Sennheiser pads.
My amplifier career -- to give an idea where I come from as to the experience with headphone amps: Musical Fidelity X-Cans; Corda HA-1, later upgraded by KurtW to Corda «Blue»; Porta Corda, later decently upgraded by KurtW; Corda HA-2; Earmax Pro with various tube constellations; 2 Prehead (MkII) prototypes loaned by Jan Meier; Talisman T-3H. Homemade potentiometer-based passive headphone «amp»; ASL Reference Tools (transformer-based passive headphone «amp»).
Sonic reference:
passive headphone «amp», consisting of a 500-ohm potentiometer and switchable additional 500-ohm parallel resistors (to compensate for the higher virtual serial resistance with mid-level settings). The DAC2's line-out stage has an output impedance of 20 ohm; together with its current-supply capability as well as the absence of any corruptive serial capacitance this allows it to drive headphones directly, enabling to virtually hear the pure source signal as it is (in this case ignoring the sound transducers' signal corruption) before further amplification. I've thoroughly tested the impact of the low load impedance (the Sennheisers' >300 ohm) on the DAC2's output signal as well as the impact of the potentiometer; they have turned out to be negligible (pot) or causing no audible signal corruption (low impedance).
Every new headphone amp I audition makes me astonished about the wide variety of sonic characteristics and the high degree of the deviations among amplifiers -- given that they all measure more or less the same with conventional measuring methods. Normally it's impossible to judge which of them is closest to the truth since the other components in the chain add their own colorations, so what you hear is the combination of different colorations which may form a more or less favorable synergy. So it's good -- or at least interesting -- to have a sonic reference, even though in the individual case the amp closest to the «sonic truth» isn't necessarily the best choice, but the one with the most ideal synergy. To tell the truth: on the performance level of the reviewed amps in my subjective perception no amp is closer to the original sound than say 30% compared to the least accurate sounding one. At the same time the sonic differences among them are of even higher percentages.
Earmax Pro
Physically this amp is very small, also thanks to the external power-supply unit. Sonically this is a notedly adult amp. It has the strongest bass of all candidates, juicy, quite well controlled and tight. There's simply nothing to criticize on the sound, but all the more to be appreciated. It has an organic, liquid and airy nature rich of colors, but no obvious coloration. Very high detail resolution and great extension to both directions, especially the upper end sounds like there's no limit, without being sharp or harsh, save when there are such components in the recording. Large orchestra remains transparent and clear even in the tightest, most complex passages, and in terms of instrument separation the EMP is masterly. (It has to be said that the tube dampers play an important part with this.) Compared to the direct connection there's a mellow «golden» sheen on the tones making the sound slightly richer and warmer, without seriously affecting transparency and resolution. In my understanding this is not a «sirupy» sound, like typical tube sound is often characterized: no trace of viscosity -- if any, it's very low viscosity, so let's call it liquidity (some of which is also present in the original signal BTW).
Upper mids and lower highs appear as a tiny bit subdued, without shifting the overall balance to the dark side though, but causing a slight smoothing of attacks and transients. In absolute terms dynamics are very good, and drum beats have speed and attack. The bass has punch and depth and is even the strongest of the trio, just a trace «slower» than the solid-state companions, but still controlled and tight. Its greatest strength is the reproduction of natural instruments and vocals. None of the other amps can sound so authentic with chamber orchestra. It takes a lot of care to microdetails on a recording and succeeds to render the instrument timbres almost perfectly. The soundstage is presented in a credible way, with good extension to all directions and very good focus. It can even be spectacular. Its ability to combine liquidity with palpability and airiness is astonishing. It sounds musical in the best sense without adding overly euphonic coloration. Although it has to be said that the original (the direct connection to the DAC2) sounds a bit less organic and warm and offers even higher transparency and control as well as a slightly sleeker, purer upper end with a somewhat more pronounced digital timbre (with CDs). So the EMP also acts as sort of «naturalizer»... That doesn't mean it's less ideal for electronic music. Quite the opposite: its flowing nature and high detail resolution make listening to electronic music a pure pleasure. Just that sometimes the aggressiveness of certain shrill effects may be slightly tamed.
One thing that prevents the HD 600 from sounding equally enjoyable as the HD 650 (the above description is based upon) is the slightly smoothed treble response. Nevertheless the EMP is also an excellent match with the HD 600 if you like the slight tendency towards smoothness and warmth of this combination, which still provides a very transparent and detailed sound, just not equally lively and explosive as the HD 600/Corda combination.
The ER-4X is a very good match with the EMP. Full bass, liquid-smooth and colorful mids, very clear and accurate, delicate treble. The most organic sound of all amps, thus a good compensation for this precision fanatic. Maybe the best synergy with the ER-4X?
As to the SR-225: this is the least favorable combination of all the described cases. Bass is slightly bloated, midrange is heavily lacking and treble is a bit sharp and not overly clear.
Corda HA-2 MkII
This amp has authority. Its sonic spectrum is extremely extended from lowest bass to highest treble, with a very flat response. Nothing is missing, nothing is obviously wrong. In comparison to the original HA-2 the upgrade has brought a refined characteristic and subjectively an even flatter frequency response. The bass is more even -- the slight boominess in the upper bass has disappeared, so the low bass has gained a bit more weight. The midrange has become even smoother and offers even higher resolution, with slightly less pronounced texturing. The treble is where the most obvious change has happened: it is smoother than ever, extremely transparent and clear and extends far beyond the audible range (not that the original HA-2 doesn't do that!), meaning the upper end is very present and not rolled off at all. In comparison (only then) the original HA-2 has a hint of graininess in the upper mids/lower treble due to a slight (perceived) accentuation of this range. The downside is a certain loss of texture and a slight tendency towards sleekness in the treble. This phenomenon makes the MkII quite a bit sensitive to interconnects (the Zu Gede has eliminated this problem). It is to say though that this characteristic is closer to the direct-connection characteristic than the slight overtexturing tendency of the original HA-2.
The MkII version sounds more spectacular and «extended» -- and a bit brighter -- than the normal HA-2 and may be the most spectacular sounding of the three amps. Its clarity and brilliance reminds a bit of electrostatics. The clarity also extends to the lower mids and the bass which form a pleasant «carpet» on which the faster sonic events build up without being the least masked by the former. Symphonies are one of its strengths. It allows a credible insight into the concert hall. Strings are reproduced with a silky timbre, brass has spectacular brilliance and energy, timpani have heavy impact, double basses sound voluminous and well textured at the same time. I perceive the lows and partly the mids as slightly warm sounding, whereas the highs are rather on the cool side -- a contrast I also detected with the original HA-2, although less pronounced, especially as to the treble. Paradoxically this doesn't prevent the Corda from being one of the most coherent sounding amps I've heard. And it's most likely the cause for its rich palette of sonic colors. Nevertheless, the MkII isn't a euphonic amp, much rather has to be classified as fairly neutral and accurate. If anything could be criticized, it's the slight tendency towards astringency. However, the HA-2 MkII has a sonic balance very close to the direct connection. It's just the EMP's more liquid character that makes it sound more similar to the original, but then again, when it comes to transient speed, the HA-2 MkII has the edge.
The above is also valid for the HD 600, with the exception of the «sleekness» issue which is none in view of the HD 600's dryer treble. It is an absolutely excellent match with the upgraded HA-2 (and so should be with the Prehead MkII). I've never heard the HD 600 sound so accurate, fresh, transparent, lively and expressive, hence musical, like with this amp. The HD 650 still sounds better from an «objective» point of view, but in terms of musicality and enjoyment they are close.
The ER-4X is an especially good match with the Corda. With no other amp it has such a speed and such a great transparency. Drum beats are like little explosions in the ears -- maybe a bit overkill?
The SR-225 seems to like the Corda best. As far as the Grado can be called natural at all
I left Crossfeed out in this comparison, since it's a feature only provided by the Corda; moreover I only use it if absolutely necessary.
Talisman T-3H
This amp sounds quite a bit special compared to the others and compared to the direct connection. It has some emphasis from the midrange up to the lower treble, followed by a smooth roll-off up to higher frequencies. The bass is slightly on the lean side, but reaches deep and has punch. The resulting «plateau» makes for a somewhat artificial sonic signature that unfortunately is audible no matter what headphone I've used. But it's not as dramatic as it may sound -- and compensated by a virtue which may be a consequence of it: No other amp has the same degree of contour and accuracy when it comes to transients. Notes sound as articulate and clear like written in stone. At the same time there's a liquidity in the sound that makes them appear as pure as well water running over stones in a creekbed... (which may at least partly be caused by the smoothed upper end). So despite the analytical tendency given by the «artificial» mids/lower treble accentuation I perceive the sonic character as absolutely musical. It facilitates to follow complex structures with the composition as well as sonically complex passages and makes the music sound especially expressive and meaningful. BTW in this respect it has a strong resemblance to the Silver Dragon HD 650 replacement cable, apart from the Talisman's smoothness which is a bit lacking with the Silver Dragon.
String orchestras sound silky smooth, smoother than with the Corda. And this smoothness is a bit of a problem to my ears. It's too obvious that it's caused by the treble roll-off, and it gives the impression of a slight artificiality. Symphonic music is reproduced on an impressive soundstage. The slight «digital» overtone artifacts with CDs are clearly reduced -- compared to the other amps and the direct connection -- with the help of the T-3H's smooth upper end. Nevertheless, as non-digital classical orchestral music sounds when it comes to overtones, it's hard to ignore the slight omnipresent artificiality from its sonic-balance problem, although it absolutely doesn't harm the musical flow nor the musical expression, quite the opposite. A funny detail: I've digitalized some vinyl tracks (Jan Hammer, Dave Greenslade, Blue Öyster Cult, Electric Prunes...) with my poor old Thorens TD 321/Linn Basik/Shure Ultra 500 and a new Creek OBH-15 phono stage, including some sound editing (crossfeed, sonic balance, clicks) and burned them onto CD. Through the Talisman, they sound like they were pure digital recordings as to the upper-mids/lower-treble contour/conciseness, which makes this amp appear like made for vinyl... Although I can't offer much experience in this regard since I rarely listen to vinyl these days. However, through the other amps you hear the vinyl origin, and that's not really a good thing in this case.
Although the above description is mainly based on the audition with the HD 650, it also applies to the HD 600. It has a very good synergy with the Talisman and sounds highly transparent and detailed with it. The HD 600 develops a surprising clarity and liquidity and even a touch of coolness in the lower treble making it sound very enjoyable and musical, although not completely free of artificiality.
The ER-4X is a fairly good match with the T-3H. Full bass, liquid-smooth and colorful mids, very clear and accurate treble, which on the other hand is a bit too smooth for my taste.
The SR-225 sounds fairly good with the T-3H. The bass is tight and controlled, the midrange is colorful, but has an emphasis on the upper range reaching up to the lower treble. Quite pleasing and a good compensation for the Grado's tendency towards sharpness; there's even a trace of liquidity, but also a slight artificial timbre.
Some music examples to show how the amps compare in the concrete case.
Roxy Music - «Avalon» (SACD layer)
The Corda has the fastest pace with «Take a Chance with me». Perfect control, speed and dynamics as well as colorful instrument reproduction and extreme transparency. The EMP shows it in a more romantic light and with more atmosphere, with almost equal transparency and brilliance despite the smoother presentation. I think I like this album best with the EMP, closely followed by the Corda. The Talisman doesn't create the same fascination and atmosphere; there's not enough glitter highlights there, the focus is rather on the controlled and liquid-smooth midrange. Nevertheless, it also manages to please with its decently colorful reproduction, although it sounds flatter than the other amps, also as to the spatial depth.
John Abercrombie - «Class Trip»
This is maybe the best jazz recording I've ever heard as to the technical-esthetical quality. Without disregarding the musical quality though. The cymbals are so carefully and delicately recorded that one can get addictive to them. And there's a lot of air between the instruments. I've always found the Corda to be best with this CD, but now I think the EMP is very close if not equal. It provides the most natural instrument timbres and the most delicate cymbals with just the right golden sheen from the brass. The Corda on the other hand shows more of the energy and brilliance emanating from the vibrating metal, whereas the EMP is a bit smoother. It's hard to prefer one over the other, both manage to offer a highly fascinating sonic image. The Talisman sounds a bit bland in comparison; the cymbals tendentially sound like made of aluminum, with less brilliance, less delicacy and less fascination. Anyway, after a short adaptation there's nothing missing, although it doesn't offer the same high-end flair (ambiguousity intended). Well, after a few further minutes of adaptation it's there. But switching (back) to the EMP or the Corda immediately shows their superiority in terms of naturalness. It's not day and night, but the difference is there.
Telefon Tel Aviv - «Fahrenheit fair enough»
The scintillating synthesizer sounds are a domain of the Corda. No other amp is equally fast when it comes to reproduce the pace of these synthetic tones. But the EMP holds against it with its delicacy, accuracy and carefulness when it comes to overtones and high frequencies generally. It's more the midrange that's in the focus with the Talisman: midrange structures are reproduced with great accuracy and dynamic contrast, whereas the treble, while also reproduced with great precision, sounds a bit rounded and smoothed. Which is what can take some of the energy and pace away with this music. It's not dramatic though, just obvious in comparison. The bass is tight and precise with all amps, the least so with the EMP where it's slightly fuller than I would like it to be for this kind of music where everything has to be fast and controlled, but still on the pleasing side and not interfering with the music.
Harrison Birtwistle - «Earth Dances»
This is modern orchestral music of the atonal kind. There's a lot of percussion with high dynamics, and there's a lot of action going on, beside some more relaxed passages with violins in the fore. That's the battlefield where the Corda is unbeatable. With its speed and transparency it masters the most complex passages and the most dynamic eruptions with incomparable ease. What about the EMP? In some ways it sounds even more realistic and barely less transparent than the Corda, with even truer instrument timbres, even more colorful mids and even more impressive soundstage. But it has no chance when it comes to dynamic eruptions of the percussive kind. In these cases it is a bit too soft and slow in comparison. The Talisman offers a large soundstage and excellent instrument separation as well as high transparency, just with a trace of a midrange/lower treble emphasis making it sound slightly artificial again. Cymbals, hi-hats and all bright sounding percussion sound a bit rolled-off. Not in a dramatic way, but nonetheless slightly irritating in this case. I have to admit though that without the other amps and the direct connection as benchmarks I would have a hard time to come to the same critical attitude, taking its otherwise really excellent sonic performance into account.
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It's hard to nominate a winner. I'd say there are two winners: Corda and EMP, both on a similar level, and one loser, the Talisman. But stop! In fact this comparison isn't really fair. The T-3H is the least expensive of the three.
That's what I paid, shipping included:
Talisman T-3H: € 488
Earmax Pro: € 529
Corda HA-2: € 560
But that's only half the story. Actually the EMP is by far the most expensive amp if you take the dozens of tubes into account I had to try before I've found the ideal combination -- I paid clearly more for all the tubes than for the amp itself. Even with only the current tubes in it it's worth well € 800 if not more. And the HA-2 MkII is even unpayable... it doesn't exist in this form yet. As to the sonic level it's even superior to the current Prehead which would cost me € 820, regular price. So in its price range the T-3H can absolutely go for a bargain in view of its excellent, although a bit idiosyncratic sonic performance. I'm sure many people will like its sound character which is at the same time mellow and accurate. And well, if you insist in a winner (of course from my subjective point of view), I think it's the Corda if I look at what amp gets the most listening time.
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