[AP3X]

Anyone know if there is a difference between them beside different tubes and a different case. The specifications on DV's website are exactly the same with the exception of the S/N and the tubes used. Is there anything else that justifies purchasing the 3322 vs the 336se? I am using AKG K701's as my headphone.

Darkvoice3322
Drive Impedance Range：32-600 ohms
Frequency Response：10Hz-30kHz +/-1dB
S/N：100dB
Power Output：1Watt

Darkvoice336se
Drive Impedance Range：32-600 ohms
Frequency Response：10Hz-30kHz +/-1dB
S/N：98dB
Power Output：1Watt

 

[Effusion]

I own the 336se and it really makes my HD650s come alive... I'm afraid that I have not heard the K701s with either amp...

Although I have yet to hear/compare the 336 to the 3322, I've read around that there really isn't much of an improvement over the 336 and that the only true jump is to the 337; if I remember correctly, I believe some have said that the 3322 has an overly less "tuby" sound (the 337 is much more refined). The 3322 does have split channels and two volume pots and sets of tubes for each (some insist that you must match the tube pairs)...

Keep in mind that they just discontinued the 336se, so you might be able to find some cheap prices... I haven't heard much about the new "Classic" model, but apparently besides just cosmetics, they have made several internal changes. The "Classic" model no longer has a pre-out; I currently use the one on the 336se to feed my speaker amp and it works great! The 3322 also has a pre-out...

Keep in mind that each uses different tubes (2 for the 336 and 4 for 3322) and it can be expensive for quality NOS tubes... the 6as7/6080 and 6sn7 tubes used with the 336 are very plentiful and there are quite a few variants/brands. Either way, you will want to upgrade the cheap Chinese tubes sold with the amps. In my opinion, the 336 will provide better choices with a cheaper price, more of a "bang for you buck" then the 3322... the main reason I went with the 336se was to "tube roll"...

Wish I could help more... there should be quite a few posts out there asking the same questions; have you tried searching around? I would suggest searching for impressions of both amps with your particular set of cans...

 

[musicmind]

I havent heard either amp, but when considering the DV332, I corresponded with three head-fiers who had owned both the DV336 (not se) and the DV332, and all of them commented that the DV332 had noticeably more resolution and detail as well as perceived power.

Regarding the tube costs, I dont think the DV332 will prove to be more expensive in that regard. Despite using 4 tubes, the cost of the DV332 or DV3322 tubes are quite cheaper than some of the expensive NOS 6sn7, 6080 or Tungsol 5998 tubes. You could use an adaptor to use a less expensive 6gu7 in place of the 6sn7, as SACD_Lover has done with good results.

According to Godkin's review, the DV3322 seems to have improved over the DV332 in some respects, and perhaps the DV336se has also refined compared to the older DV336, but I think the difference between the amps may well still be noticeable based on their design and tube selection.

It should be noted also that most users of the DV amps are using Sennheiser high impedance headphones, and most feel that is where their strength lies. If you are considering sticking with the K701 as your main headphone, be sure to check if there arent other amps which pair up better with the K701 for the kind of music you like and your budget range.

 

[Effusion]

I agree with musicmind that the Darkvoice line appears to have great synergy with Sennheisers in particular and I do know that the 336 is better with higher than with lower ohm headphones.

As far as tubes, there are a ton of 6sn7 tube types out there and while yes, a few variants are extremely expensive NOS, you can pick up a good set fairly quickly and cheaply. I would recommend the RCA 6as7 grey-plate ($10-15) and a Sylvania Chrome Dome 6sn7 (~$10, don’t pay too much!).

All in all, I think musicmind and I can help, but we would need a little more info on both your plans for the present and the future…

 

[Godkin]

I agree with Musicmind: from those who have heard both the 332 and the 336, the former was nocticeably better than the latter.

The 336se is basically the same amp as the 336, wrapped in a prettier case: sonically, they would be very similiar, if not identical. With the 3322, DV have upped the stakes in sound quality when compared with the 332. Technically, there are some resemblances, but there have been changes and component upgrades.

The 336 is a very good amp, especially with high impedance cans. The 332 was an exceptional one.

 

[AP3X]

Thanks for the info. That helped a good bit. I am listening to Jazz (both classic and contempory). Stuff like The Door by Audun Erlien, Stoa and Holon by Nik Bartschs Ronin and Lontano by Tomasz Stanko Quartet. Not sure what sub-genre of Jazz they are but they all are very atmospheric and use allot of piano, guitar, and the drums. One is primary trumpet.

Vocal Jazz by Rachelle Ferrel and Diana Krall

Also via SACD I am listening to Miles Davis, Lauren Hill, I managed to get ahold of Micheal Jacksons Thriller on SACD

& R&B (mostely Neo-Soul)
Sade, Maxwell, Sweetback etc...

What I am looking for is detail that the K701's provide with the warmth of the tube amplifier for under $400.00 without killing the accuracy, the articulation, and the soundstage. I heard great things about the 336SE paired with the AKG's but I saw the 3322 was a bit more and was wondering what the differences were.

I do plan on purchasing the DT880's and the HD600 a little later but I am very impressed with the the AKG's are giving me right now.

 

[Effusion]

It sounds like you might really like the tube sound; in general tubes will give you more warmth and soundstage, in expense of a less little detail, esp. in the higher frequencies, and slower attack/speed. In my opinion, they work great with jazz, piano, and vocals. However, at this price point with tube amps, you will be giving up some of the accuracy you may now be enjoying with solid-state. May I ask what you are currently using to drive your AKGs?

Any of the Darkvoice range will probably give you the warmth and soundstage you may be seeking... still it is really a question of how much of this you would like to add to your sound sig. and at what price. The great thing about tube amps is that you can simply switch out the tubes and completely change the sound sig.

It does sound like you would like the 337, which is the most refined and solid-state of the models, but at the expense of less of a "tube" sound and a higher price... it could be pretty hard to find one used at your budget.

Considering your budget of $400 and if you would rather buy new, the 336 might be your best option... you can pick one up new for around $300 and still have $100 to spend on some really nice NOS tubes. If you find that you really don't like the tube sound, you can always sell it; I've seen used 336's go for around $200-$250 shipped. As far as those who have suggested the 3322 over the 336, for the extra price, I would only hope that it is more refined, but I would be cautious of those who say the difference is very significant or night and day. If you want to go this route, I would look for one used with some nice tubes for your budget.

Have you considered other tube amps at your price range at all?

I've heard great things about the Audiotailor "Jade", and it does have two outputs, one more tube and one more solid-state. Also, if you don't mind the aesthetics and are comfortable with semi-DIY, the Elekit TU-882 is considered a great value with amazing sound... the PCB assembled kit is $425. It also has a switch to change between low, medium, and high ohm phones, it uses two 5670/2c51/396a tubes, which I use in my DAC and sound great! Two 396a WE tubes will set you back around $35 to $40 more though...

I hope this all helps with your decision!

 

[flatmap]

I routinely use my AKG K-702 headphones with a solid state amp. However I had the opportunity to listen with them via Big Poppa's DV 336SE at a local meet. The combination was very enjoyable and gave an ample underpinning of bass. I listened to some jazz tracks including one of the Jon Faddis recordings and it did a nice job setting off the trumpet solo work and giving the orchestral background spatial sweep and tonal depth. There is some loss in absolute level of detail, but... these were great fun. Definitely on my list to buy and a nice match with the AKGs.

 

[AP3X]

Thank you for all the help guys. I went ahead and ordered the 3322 from Boyier.

 

[sygyzy]

I'm confused - is the 3322 the same as the 322 or are they two distinct models?

 

[Koolpsych]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sygyzy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm confused - is the 3322 the same as the 322 or are they two distinct models?

I am guessing you mean the Darkvoice 332 and yes the 3322 and 332 are different models. The DV332 was the first model and was replaced by the DV3322. While the DV3322 shares a similar setup, many features were changed.

 

[sygyzy]

Thank you. That's exactly what I was looking for.

 

[hauntingtheholy]

So how many mW's does the 336e give to a 300Ohm headphone?  I'm new at this, but isn't that important information?  I see it has power output of 1W.  Doesn't that seem like nothing for say an HD650?  I'm using a Magni 2U right now that is 1.5W, it's cheap.  The Magni puts out 320mW @300Ohm and I feel that the bass on the my brand new HD650 is lacking.  My friend has the same model and his have awesome bass coming out of a home receiver.

 

[3083joe]

It sounds like you might really like the tube sound; in general tubes will give you more warmth and soundstage, in expense of a less little detail, esp. in the higher frequencies, and slower attack/speed. In my opinion, they work great with jazz, piano, and vocals. However, at this price point with tube amps, you will be giving up some of the accuracy you may now be enjoying with solid-state. May I ask what you are currently using to drive your AKGs?

Any of the Darkvoice range will probably give you the warmth and soundstage you may be seeking... still it is really a question of how much of this you would like to add to your sound sig. and at what price. The great thing about tube amps is that you can simply switch out the tubes and completely change the sound sig.

It does sound like you would like the 337, which is the most refined and solid-state of the models, but at the expense of less of a "tube" sound and a higher price... it could be pretty hard to find one used at your budget.

Considering your budget of $400 and if you would rather buy new, the 336 might be your best option... you can pick one up new for around $300 and still have $100 to spend on some really nice NOS tubes. If you find that you really don't like the tube sound, you can always sell it; I've seen used 336's go for around $200-$250 shipped. As far as those who have suggested the 3322 over the 336, for the extra price, I would only hope that it is more refined, but I would be cautious of those who say the difference is very significant or night and day. If you want to go this route, I would look for one used with some nice tubes for your budget.

Have you considered other tube amps at your price range at all?

I've heard great things about the Audiotailor "Jade", and it does have two outputs, one more tube and one more solid-state. Also, if you don't mind the aesthetics and are comfortable with semi-DIY, the Elekit TU-882 is considered a great value with amazing sound... the PCB assembled kit is $425. It also has a switch to change between low, medium, and high ohm phones, it uses two 5670/2c51/396a tubes, which I use in my DAC and sound great! Two 396a WE tubes will set you back around $35 to $40 more though...

I hope this all helps with your decision!

Very informative 
Thanks