[Guyferd]

which sounds better?
Ok these are what I find the flaws of ha-1 :
the highs are a lil harsh and sibilance..
I wonder if the earmax will do a good job driving the 880 compared to the corda..

anyone who has heard both ?

 

[ablaze]

if you find the highs harsh, why don't you just run it out of the 120ohm jack?

 

[Guyferd]

120 ohm has flabby(not tight) bass, sounds slower and not as dynamic

...
the 0 ohm so far is the best for me.. but that;s about it.. a lil harsh highs..

 

[fiddler]

You might want to try to do some of KurtW's Corda Blue mods to it, particularly the first stage opamp swap to OPA627/637. Or get somebody else to do them for you.

 

[JaZZ]

Guyferd...

I've owned the HA-1, but didn't use it with the DT 880. Nevertheless I can very well imagine that it sounds a little harsh with it. Something a HA-2 (and maybe a HA-1 MkII) doesn't at all: very smooth and liquid, great midrange, deep bass...

The EMP on the other hand makes the DT 880 sound even more organic and lifelike, richer with sonic colors, while maintaining most of the HA-2's clarity and accuracy, with slightly milder, but more extended appearing highs.

I'm constantly faltering between these two amps. Surely both (or all three, resp.) make the DT 880 sound clearly smoother, more extended and natural than the HA-1.

KurtW's «Blue» modifications might as well do the trick; again, I couldn't use it with the DT 880 since I sold it before I had the Beyer.

 

[Guyferd]

Hi Jazz!! Thanks for the advice..
I heard the earmax might sound a little warm. Is this with your case?
Also, how different is the earmax from the earmax pro? I know the emp can drive lower impedance cans better.
but other than that.. I thought since em was designed to drive senn hd600(dt880 being sonically similar to the seen), then it would benefit greatly from the amp?
I heard it's anemic..

Thanks

 

[JaZZ]

Guyferd...
Quote:

I heard the earmax might sound a little warm. Is this with your case?

Just a little bit... like all amps I know... and not more so than the HA-2, but quite differently. It sounds nevertheless very transparent and detailed. Not at all dark or soft, but well balanced and dynamic.

Quote:

Also, how different is the earmax from the earmax pro? I know the emp can drive lower impedance cans better. but other than that.. I thought since em was designed to drive senn hd600 (dt880 being sonically similar to the seen), then it would benefit greatly from the amp?

I can't speak for the «normal» Earmax which is said to be too feeble for most headphones except for the HD 600. The Earmax Pro is much stronger and can drive high- and low-impedance headphones equally well.

Quote:

I heard it's anemic..

You mean: lean, thin, lacking color? No, quite the opposite: strong and deep bass, colorful (not overly colored though), with wide extension (4 Hz...1 MHz) and smooth, rich treble. Sounds good out of the box and even better with the right tubes. It's not absolutely neutral - but which amp really is!? To my ears it's even closer to the original source (= direct-path) sound than the HA-2; BTW, I know another Head-Fi member who has made exactly the same experience. However, I love it!

 

[Guyferd]

alrite, I will try and see if I can get a pair at affordable price
also, what interconnect are you using?

how hard is it to maintain tubes? I mean say .. I on them about 10 hours a day. When will I need to change the tubes again?
Also, I am quite afraid at the sight of tube(somehow very.. scary looking to me

)
I could get a deal for normal earmax for $250, but I don't think it will be as powerful as emp rite?

 

[JaZZ]

Guyferd...
Quote:

also, what interconnect are you using?

...I use my homemade magnet-wire cables (0.028-mm isolated copper wires).

Quote:

how hard is it to maintain tubes? I mean say .. I on them about 10 hours a day. When will I need to change the tubes again?

The lifetime of tubes depends on the type - high-quality tubes last maybe 10,000 hours, normal tubes about 3000 hours (somebody correct me if I'm wrong). So high-quality means long life in most cases, not necessarily better sound. There is no need for any maintenance, except for possible pin cleaning in case of bad contact (but I doubt such appears when the tubes are in constant operation), which barely can happen with gold-plated pins, BTW.

This is my first tube amp, and within the year I have it I had no work with the tubes - but of course I've done a lot of tuberolling just for fun (in search for the ideal sound).

Quote:

Also, I am quite afraid at the sight of tube (somehow very.. scary looking to me )

Yes, they are scary! That's the reason why they're not allowed to be sold to children, and the user manual warns sensitive people against the use after midnight.

But the real danger is the sensuality behind the tube sound...

Quote:

I could get a deal for normal earmax for $250, but I don't think it will be as powerful as emp rite?

Yes - I'd rather take the EMP, which is much more versatile.

 

[Guyferd]

lol!! Thanks for the help
btw, nice ****!!