[ak622]

Nope its not its AKG friendly since Im using a pair of k501s and i do here the buzzing occasionally... But its not too big of a concern of mine either so its not always there either..

 

[devwild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GRhodes I have absolutely no buzz, hiss or anything else using AKG K280s. Maybe the amp is just AKG friendly.... ?

It seems that way to me as well. Not just because of the lower noise levels, but my observations have been that it drives the AKGs better than other headphones I have tried. In my opinion, using the presonus as a source for both, my current configuration surpasses the corda aria on almost all counts... but only with the with the K701s.
Quote:

Originally Posted by ak622 Nope its not its AKG friendly since Im using a pair of k501s and i do here the buzzing occasionally... But its not too big of a concern of mine either so its not always there either..

As mentioned above, I would bet it's the tubes.


I will consolidate my overall impressions of what few tubes and configurations I've tried next weekend after I feel I've had substantial time with the GE and JJ tubes.

 

[lionel marechal]

Enjoying it right now, I do hear the buzz/humming both with the sr225 and the hd580. But I do not hear it anymore as soon as the music start.
I will try later with the additional tubes I got with it, but I want to enjoy it as it is right now.

I do enjoy it, but I am not sure if I enjoy it more than my fubar+cute combination. Dnno if my ears are not good, not trained, and/or not sure where the placebo effect stands. I will do some test when somebody will be with me to switch the sources without me knowing and after setting comparable sound levels.

So .. a bit more later with some impressions, but I am not good at comparing and giving impressions. BUt I am following the thread with a lot of attention

Oh and any the way, the cat eye does not provide anything at all as or really just a litlle small tiny bit, although I do not consider I am listening at low levels (click 10 on the dared with the sr225 and using th, I do not reach the level to make it do its magic .. or if yes, it's too loud for me.


Lionel

 

[quid]

i'm sorry if i disturb, can i ask where buy on line the amp dared mp-5 at the best price (is $250 ?? ), thank you so much.

quid

 

[jjcha]

Hi quid,

I sent you a PM about contacting Bill, the audiogon'er who helped me and a few other people here out with our MP-5.

Best,

-Jason

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha I placed my Dared in lan's able hands for modding and tuberolling.

Round 1 is finished.

We may do a round 2 but I think I'll stop now so we can see what you think. It's much less bloated now and more detailed on my speakers compared to before.

 

[Mezevenf]

I've been thinking about this annoying buzzing with the occasional increased hiss that accompanies it and I'm betting the annoying hiss is coming from my computer, as it seems to work in time with certain aspects of the computer.

So, gotta see what its like coming from a different source like my turntable. Although I think the buzzing will still be there, its rather loud for my tastes.

 

[Elephas]

I got a pair of Sylvania JAN 5751 and installed them in place of the stock 6N1 tubes.

Using the K701, the sound is bassy and warm. Not bad with some fast-paced Brazilian lounge music. They are definitely an improvement over the stock tubes.

Soundstage is narrower and airyness is reduced compared to the Raptor, though. The background noise level is also higher and there is less detail.

I will try to roll some more 12AX7 tubes to see if there is any more improvement. The Magic Eye tube seems limited in selection and is more difficult to find.

 

[Elephas]

I ordered some 12AU7 tubes for the Raptor some time ago. They came in pairs, and I decided to try them with the Dared MP-5.

They are the Telefunken ECC82, Mullard ECC82 and Brimar CV4003/12AU7.

I've tried the Brimar and Telefunken with the Dared MP-5, and I like the Telefunken. Gain is lower than the Sylvania 5751 or the stock 6N1, and the volume control range is more comfortable now with the K701. Bass quantity is less than the stock 6N1, and it is tighter. Treble is crisper and more sparkly.

The Telefunken ECC82 is very quiet. With no music playing using the K701, there's no buzz/hum until the volume reaches 3 o'clock. My normal listening volume with the K701 is only 3 to 4 clicks up.

 

[Elephas]

Wow, I just rolled in the Mullard ECC82, and it's even better than the Telefunken.

With the K701, there's no buzz/hum at all even at max volume. The SA5000 has a slight hum at close to maximum.

Bass quantity and quality is very high with either the K701 or SA5000. Playing Vengaboys' Megamix 99, the bass is massive.

No hint of any sibilance at earbleeding volume level. Soundstage and imaging is excellent. Background is very quiet.

With these tubes, I think the Dared MP-5 has reached a much higher level of performance. Overall listening enjoyment is competitive with my other three amps, the AT-HA5000, Raptor and Lehmann BCL.

EDIT: These Mullards are so good I just went on Yahoo Auctions and bought some CV4003 and CV4004, and E182CC for the Raptor.

 

[devwild]

Glad to hear someone else is finding the Dared competitive with better tubes

What source are you using at the moment, the Lavry?

 

[Elephas]

Yes, I use the Lavry with the MP-5 because it allows a greater range of volume control.

I set it at 46 for the purpose of making evaluations. At level 46, the Lavry's output is about the same level as the CEC DA53's fixed output.

 

[devwild]

As I said I would, I'm going to try to briefly summarize my experiences with the Dared in various configurations, much of which will be repeat from my earlier posts, but hopefully easier to follow this way, and perhaps useful to someone.

I am listing these configurations in order from least favorite to most. They are weighted both on technicality and personal enjoyment level, so feel free to disagree. Impressions are based on sound with both the RS250MKII speakers and K701 headphones unless otherwise stated. Though different in sound they benefited from similar characteristics. When using the Presonus Central Station, I am using its passive preamp and keeping the Dared fixed at 9-10 o'clock.

1) Internal DAC / Suguang 12AX7B
The stock DAC and tubes on the American version of the MP-5 are, in my opinion, only a rough glance into the potential of the amp. Highs and Lows are loose and detail can be muddied, though the overall sound is playful and textured, and sometime inviting on that alone, particularly with solo string instruments, also classical and jazz.

2) Presonus CS / Sovtek 12AX7LPS
No that's not a typo, while technically superior to the internal DAC, this configuration was too bright in the particular frequencies that bug my ears, and also lost a lot of layering and soundstage.

3) Presonus CS / Suguang 12AX7B
The stock tubes were easier to enjoy with the external DAC than the Sovteks, as they are warm and rich, but at the same time they lack in detail and bass control. Has a bit of a mid-bass hump and rolled highs. To me this was the most stereotypical "tubey" sounding configuration. Nice for classical, but we can do better...

4) Internal DAC / Sovtek 12AX7LPS
What's that cheap internal DAC doing up here? Well, to be honest, I really enjoyed this configuration on fun factor alone. While not as controlled as a better DAC, this configuration yielded a significant detail jump and balance improvement over the Suguangs and a sort of magical open soundstaging and discrete layering, particularly with the K701s. What was more interesting was how this was combined with a strong midrange to provide rich vocals without the in-your-head feeling. Shifting from a more expensive rig to this one directly makes the soundstaging sound artificial, like a computer's 3D sound effect, but I still think it was a lot of fun on the cheap.

5) Presonus CS / JJ/Tesla ECC803S
A definite improvement over the Sovteks when using the external DAC, this configuration isn't bright, but also isn't particularly warm. The tubes have a mid-bass hump new that appears to fade with burn in leaving you with a neutral sound with nice, open staging and a clean detailed sound on most music types. Vocals can be distant at times, and the lack of rich midrange and bass impact is not quite what I'm looking for in this setup. Strikes me as a great cleaner, smoother, better extended upgrade over a moderate HD595 setup (which I just sold in favor of the K701s)

6) Presonus CS / NOS JAN GE 5751
My clear favorite thus far, these are truly great tubes for my use. Solid soundstage, impressive detail and stability with any music, rich midrange, natural layering with excelent instrument seperation, and quick warm-up time all make for wonderful experience with the MP-5. That doesn't make this setup perfect - it could stand for better low-end bass impact at times and the slightly wider soundstage I now know is possible. However, the strengths of this configuration are providing virtually everything I wanted from this setup better than I could have hoped. Even if I try other tubes I think I will get a spare pair of these.

Additional notes:

- The Presonus is a significantly better DAC than the internal DAC and a better representation of quality solid state sources. It also improved my experience by providing a passive preamp for much finer volume control. Note that I did not test the JJ or Jan tubes with the internal DAC.

- 4) and 6) were the two configurations that I chose to stack directly against the Corda Aria with the K701s. 4) was easilly more enjoyable with the K701s to me despite being technically inferior. That comparison is based on using the Aria with its internal DAC or the HR MicroDAC. 6) was, in my opinion, superior to the Aria in every way except for a slightly smaller (but more open and layered) soundstage. In addition to layering it has better instrument separation, bass control, and a richer midrange which pairs wonderfully with the K701s. This was with the Aria also using the Presonus as a source (main out, no preamp).

- BUT, and this is a big but - the previous statement only holds true for the K701. During the time I borrowed it, I felt the HD650 was clearly driven better by the Aria. Likewise I still like my M^3 better for my SA5000s, regardless of the noise they pick up on the Dared. Perhaps it is true that AKGs headphones are well served by modified speaker amps such as this. Time, and experimentation by others will tell.

- The Dared holds onto such an impression of an excelent value for me because I now have it performing admirably as both a headphone amp and a speaker amp. Considering what I was looking at as alternatives, this saved me money.


There is much above I have left out - there are more differences in treble balance, low end extension, etc - but the truth is, this is partly a journey for each owner to take, and there are plenty of tubes out there to try. I have been enjoying each configuration for what it is, what music it sounds good with, and for the new experience it has given me for a relatively low total cost. The presonus increased that cost, but I can also get a lot of mileage from it because it is a very versatile device, and if I ever get rid of these speakers, powered monitors are likely in my future. I have sold both my Aria and my HD595s because they were superfluous in my current setup.

 

[KB]

Hey All,

I am in need of some advice from the gurus.

I recently also picked up one of these Dared MP5's. I am new to tube amps. My configuration is; iPod Dock Station line out using one of my Cotton mini to rca cables, I am using a Volex 17604 power cord in lue of the stock power cord, the amp is pushing a pair of Bose 201 bookshelf speakers (please go easy on me they came easy my way), HF-1's or my A900LTD's cans.

The stock tubes were very harsh at first but smoothed out nicely after only about a days worth of play. I did not notice any hum or buzz what so ever with the speakers or my headphones. Everything was just fine and I was so very pleased with the amp.

Of course whats the point of a tube amp if you dont tube roll? So I picked up a pair of matched sets of NOS JAN GE 5751's and a pair of SOVTEK 12AX7LPS see here...

I noticed both the GE and Sovtek tubes required me to really crank on the volume knob, both sets of tubes did not sound as nice as the stock tubes despite the reports from Devwild (by the way what a awesome couple of posts from him). Anyway I figured that if I continue to break in the GE tubes in they might respond better. I played them for the good part of a day and in the morning I turned on the amp and noticed a nasty white noise that sounded much like our daughters baby monitor, heh!, not very loud mind you, and on top of that the volume knob crackled when I turned it. I thought well it might be the tubes so I swapped out the GE's for the Sovteks and they too exhibited the same problem. Here I did not put the stock tubes at this point. I left for the day and returned home later that day, the amp was still playing and it still had all the above problems. Then it dawned on me, the fella who sold me the amp sold me a non US version? I looked and the stock tubes are a 6N1. This is pretty lame because his ebay auctions claim to be selling the US versions, so I feel duped at the moment and it appears that I am stuck with using these stock tubes?. Can someone shed some light on the compatibility of these 61N’s

I have contacted the US dealer and I am seriously thinking about buying 10 for resale on my website. I hope others do not get duped into thinking they are getting the US version when they are infact not.

Thanks,
ken

 

[Elephas]

My unit is the non-US version that came with the 6N1 tubes. They are high gain, but sound quality is inferior to the other tubes I've tried. I don't intend to use them anymore.

The Sylvania 5751 and Brimar 12AU7 did have some volume knob crackling when first used. After a while, the crackling was reduced.

I've settled on using a pair of Mullard ECC82 and a Philips EM87 Magic Eye. This combination has no crackling, no hum/hiss and a blacker background. Gain with the ECC82 is much lower than the stock 6N1 or the 12AX7 equivalents. I prefer the lower gain for use with the K701. My MP-5 now has a fun sound, with deep, strong bass and a punchiness that wakes up the K701 and gives them a "Grado injection".

Compared to the RSA Raptor and Lehmann BCL, the MP-5's bass is stronger but relatively loose, muddy and less detailed. It is an enjoyable sound, though, that makes less well-recorded pop and electronica music sound good through the K701.

I use the Mullard CV4004 with the K1000, and the sound is decent. I suspect the K1000 doesn't sound like it should, though. There's still some treble harshness and a thinness that's different from the MP-5 and K701 combo.