[devwild]

It's really fascinating to watch each person settle on their own preferred tubes. I don't see source mentioned much in these later posts... if I may ask, would each of you be willing to list your complete favorite configuration with the Dared?

Optical input > Presonus CentralStation > Dared MP-5 (Jan GE 5751) > Onix RS250MKII / AKG K701

 

[jjcha]

My rig's taken a totally different direction. I'm using my modded Dared to feed a STAX transformer to power my electrostatic SR-X mk. 3. Right now the Sovteks are in it, though I haven't tuberolled yet to see which I prefer (stock, Sovteks or jj's) in this config. I also have a pair of B&W LM1 speakers hooked up to the speaker pass through on the transformer.

The Dared works fine in this capacity. A lot better than the T-Amp I had been using. No idea how this compares to the monster electrostat amps or transformer/speaker amp combos. Honestly, it's nice enough I'm not in a rush to try other combos.

Best,

-Jason

 

[KB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by devwild It's really fascinating to watch each person settle on their own preferred tubes. I don't see source mentioned much in these later posts... if I may ask, would each of you be willing to list your complete favorite configuration with the Dared? Optical input > Presonus CentralStation > Dared MP-5 (Jan GE 5751) > Onix RS250MKII / AKG K701

G5 (using a cotton ipod to RCA cable I peddle off my website)---->Dared MP-5 (Sovotek's) > Grado RS-1's or Bose 201's (again some silver speaker cables in house made)

Elphas, I too bought some matched pairs of the JAN GE 5751's but oddly I found them quite flat on my set up? If anyone would like to try them let me know, perhaps we could get a tube exchange going? I sould be receiving a tube tester soon (ebay) and will be checking all the tubes I have to try find a good match for the MP5.

Cheers,

Ken

 

[devwild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cletus Bocephust I too bought some matched pairs of the JAN GE 5751's but oddly I found them quite flat on my set up?

Can't say I didn't warn you... it's definitely a personal thing, and depends on the configuration. The RS-1s are a very different headphone from the K701. It's not surprising that you would prefer different tubes.

This is actually why I inquired about complete configurations

 

[ghiberti]

Wow

it's a great match with RS-1 and K701. I think it may not be bad with Senns.
is there anyone think it's better or at least on a par with un-Pinkfloyded x-can v3 like me?
mine is a chinese version. ah, it sould be... becuase I've exchanged stock tubes with russian saratov 6N1P

guys, enjoy your new toy. let a crazy tube rolling begins~~

 

[Elephas]

RME HDSP 9632 > AES/EBU > Lavry DA10 > Dared MP-5 (non-US version) with Mullard ECC82, Siemens EM87 Magic Eye > K701

Cletus, I haven't been using the Sylvania 5751 since getting the Mullard ECC82. The ECC82's have a lower noise level and darker background.

 

[drarthurwells]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cletus Bocephust Moltenlava, What tubes came with your Amp? 12AX7's or the 6N1's? Do you have this problem with the stock tubes? I have owned both amp types and I had no luck with the amp that came with the 6N1's and when you try and put 12ax7 type tubes in a MP5 that came with a 6N1 tube weird things happen like what you described, at least that was my experience. If yours came with the 6N1 try a ecc85 tube. And I would also recommend a power cord upgrade. Also I have found that when I use the stock iPod dock and charger it has a slight hum, which does not really bug me too much esp. when I am driving speakers. When I use a dedicated iPod to RCA cable the hum is pretty much zero. I am sorry to hear you are having trouble with the amp, hope you can figure it out and correct the situation. Btw so far Sovotek's are my fav tube, I have tried, ecc83s JJ, Ei Silver, GE JAN 5171, Mullard (used and very un matched, but do sound very nice) Ken

The 6N1 tube is a Chinese equivalent of the Russian 6N1P:

6N7 - USA
ECC40 - Europe
6N1 - Chinese
6N1P - Russian
6N1P-EV - Russian military

 

[unistructure]

@ kwkarth: In reference to your comparison in post #206, are you basing your comparison between the MP5 and the Aria through both of their internal DACs or are you using a separate source and only comparing the internal amp section of both amps?

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unistructure @ kwkarth: In reference to your comparison in post #206, are you basing your comparison between the MP5 and the Aria through both of their internal DACs or are you using a separate source and only comparing the internal amp section of both amps?

I compared both input sources.

To my ears, the DAC in the Aria is better sounding than the DAC in the Dared. I can partially compensate by tweaking the equalization in the digital domain, but the Aria sounds better in this respect.

Using line in, the Dared with the EHG5751s is better than the Aria in all respects except for the bottom 1/2 octave and absolute noise floor.
The Dared drives my K1000s, the Aria obviously does not. (This is why I bought the Dared in the first place.)

To keep things in perspective, I could live happily with the Aria alone as it is a wonderful sounding amplifier for my 701s/501s, 600s, etc.

To my ear, the Dared has far more headroom, is quicker, fuller, more liquid/musical, less grain, and with more 3D sound staging than the Aria using the line in on both fed from the same SACD source.

The bottom 1/2 octave and absolute noise floor are subtle enough issues that most people would probably not even be aware of those differences.

Happy listening!

 

[MrFaust]

How does the Dared MP-5 compare to the Darkvoice THD-336?

 

[gates_2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrFaust How does the Dared MP-5 compare to the Darkvoice THD-336?

I would also like to know this... If anyone has tried.... Or if anyone can compare zhaolu/darkvoice to the dared

 

[Meyvn]

Having heard the darkvoice, I can tell you that it's very, very warm. It's not a hybrid, like this one is, so from what most people say about the Dared it seems the difference will be in body, smoothness and detail. The darkvoice was amazing in the regard that it totally smoothed out the inherent harshness in the SA5000, making a headphone I would normally consider far too fatiguing to listen to for long periods into one I genuinely enjoyed. However, it did of course sacrifice some of the detail that headphone is so well known for, so I'm not sure if I could recommend it for other headphones or not, as I haven't been able to get the same synergy out of it, though I do admit my testing of it was fairly limited.

 

[Elephas]

I've experienced channel imbalance using the MP-5 with a few pairs of tubes:

Mullard CV4004
Electro-Harmonix 12AX7
Groove Tube 12AX7

The Mullard ECC82 continues to sound great. No imbalance, low noise and a fun sound with the K701.

Switching between Siemens and Philips EM87 Magic Eye tubes seem to make little difference.

 

[kwkarth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas I've experienced channel imbalance using the MP-5 with a few pairs of tubes: Mullard CV4004 Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 Groove Tube 12AX7 The Mullard ECC82 continues to sound great. No imbalance, low noise and a fun sound with the K701. Switching between Siemens and Philips EM87 Magic Eye tubes seem to make little difference.

Were they matched pairs to begin with? Hard to believe they were if the imbalance followed the tubes.

 

[Bu11dog]

I am also experiencing channel imbalance issue with a match pair of ELECTRO-HARMONIX 12AU7 ECC82.

The funny thing is the tubes worked perfectly fine the first one week then the channel imbalance started. I changed back to stock tubes and the issue was gone. Very strange

I ordered a match pair of Mullard ecc82 and hopefully it will work better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas I've experienced channel imbalance using the MP-5 with a few pairs of tubes: Mullard CV4004 Electro-Harmonix 12AX7 Groove Tube 12AX7 The Mullard ECC82 continues to sound great. No imbalance, low noise and a fun sound with the K701. Switching between Siemens and Philips EM87 Magic Eye tubes seem to make little difference.