[Fafner]

Just curious...these amps seem to be the most discussed in these days...but anyone compared them yet...what's your preference? I mean especially on sound quality and power. I know the XP7 is a portable one, can be powered with batteries, and most of all you don't have to deal with battery packs to have some decent lifetimes...and last but not least performance with batteries is identical compared to a PS...while PPA isn't intended as truly portable (yet?) as you'll always have to rely on an external PS. Speaking of dimensions, I read tangent's post about the integrated battery holder. Seems very promising and if someone will use it (Sostenuto 2?), we'll have a real killer...still, having all these batteries to get to required voltage will make the amp rather heavier and larger than XP7...but at least you will have only one device to deal with on the way.

 

[morsel]

The PPA battery board has been available for months. The PPA can be built to be completely portable.

 

[iamdone]

I have a Headsave PPA with a battery board and use it on the go and at work and home. It uses 14aa batteries and has a trickle charge switch which powers them in about 10 hours. I know there's a fast charge option but I'm not sure if Headsave ofters it. I bring the power supply home on the weekends but it lasts long enough without it to leave it at work on the weekdays. I haven't timed how long the amp runs on a full charge yet. It is a little bulky for a true portable but still light enough and the sound more than makes up for the trouble. I use this bag in large: http://www.crumplerusa.com/products/...lovechild.html but this one might be better: http://www.crumplerusa.com/products/..._busy_man.html

These bags are great because they are padded and are built strong to hold a laptop. I'm sure there are other great bags out there too.

 

[elrod-tom]

I listened to both at the Chicago meet, and in fact did extensive A-B testing with a switchbox. I used a variety of headphones, including Sennheiser HD600, AKG K271S, AKG K501, AKG K340, and Grado SR225...most of which were my own phones. So I was very familiar with what I was hearing out of each of these cans.

I liked the PPA, and feel like it's a good amp. However, I bought an XP-7, based on what I heard and my personal preferences. I found the PPA to be just a bit too dry for my taste in the midrange. I thought that, although the PPA had good, solid bass, the XP-7's bass seemed to have a bit more heft, and be a bit fuller and tighter. I've also got to tell you that I LOVE the construction of this thing!! Between the chassis and the PC board, it's a rugged little work of art!

Now, this is my personal preference...your results may vary.

That said, I'm very very very very happy with the XP-7.

 

[tortie]

Any more comparisons from anyone?

 

[asdfeproiu9]

Well, there are many factors involved between these comparisons - for one thing, there are a plenitude of op-amp options for both amplifiers, so really, it is difficult to compare both on equal grounds. After all, some op-amps may sound better with this headphone, while other op-amps may sound better with that headphone. Your mileage may indeed vary.

 

[Tuberoller]

I have been using both these amps for about 6 weeks and I like them both a lot. If I had to pick one,I would go with the XP-7. The PPA is a very good amp with great bass but the midrange is a bit "one dimensional" and lacks the fine detail and layering of the XP-7. It is also nowhere near as silent as the XP-7 is. I would love to see,and hear,the PPA tweaked a bit to allow more midrange detail and to tighten up the upper frequency control,which can get "loose" on some hi-def recordings. I have listened to four PPAs(2 in my own system and 2 at meets) and I think they share these sonic characteristics.

IMO, I think the PPA is the cream of the DIY market. It is a much more balanced and coherent than any Gilmore amp (besides the electrostatic amp) and does not compress the midrange like all the Gilmores I have heard. I look for an updated and/or tweaked PPA to really give the Pro amp builders a serious run. It's almost there, but not quite.

 

[dougbrad81]

i have an xp-7, and recently compared it to a friend's PPA. we both agreed that the xp-7 is much better in every aspect. don't get me wrong, the ppa is a pretty good amp, but it sounds dry compared to the xp-7. soundstage is much more wider with the xp-7.the xp-7 has a fantastic midrange, and never chokes up even during the most complex passages. there is great separation and clarity between instrument and every note sounds full and lush. and don't let the portable design fool you, this amp is also fantastic for home use. it work well with both my sony cd3000 and hd600 with equinox. the bass is absolutely fantastic with the cd3000. with other amps i used the bass seems loose and sloppy. but the xp-7 delivers it tight and deep. It sound great from any source, from sony r-50 portable minidisc to my bel canto dac2.battery life is fantastic. i got a little over 30 hours with a pair alkalines. the built quality is great, very rugged design. it looks and feels like it can take alot of abuse without causing it any harm.
now i gotta give the usual disclaimer that is my personal Experience, and everyone's result may vary. but i cannot praise this amp enough. i truly believe it offers the greatest value of any amp available today, and is certainly one of the most versatile. on another plus, Ray Samuels is a truly fantastic person to deal with.

 

[asdfeproiu9]

Hm, other than the original power supply for the XP7, is there anything else than can replace it? Since the $700 list price for XP7 + PSU is quite expensive, if you ask me.

 

[tortie]

Yup, I find the $700 for the additional PSU hard to swallow too. Is the XP7 with the PSU really that much better than the battery powered unit?

I've thought that the XP7s advantage of background silence vs the PPA was caused by it being battery powered. Would it be as silent with its PSU? Any comments about this guys?

 

[dougbrad81]

Quote:

Originally posted by tortie Yup, I find the $700 for the additional PSU hard to swallow too. Is the XP7 with the PSU really that much better than the battery powered unit? I've thought that the XP7s advantage of background silence vs the PPA was caused by it being battery powered. Would it be as silent with its PSU? Any comments about this guys?

From what i read of tuberoller, Markl and john cjb reviews, the xp-7 sound virtually identical whether it's being powered by battries or the power supply.

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tuberoller ".......It is also nowhere near as silent as the XP-7 is...."

Well, if you mean by silence the absent of any sound in the background, well my PPA is like that, maybe the ones whit Elpac power supply are not as silent, as the ones with batteries, or ones with better power supplies, mine has a linear power supply, and is dead silent, IMO, no other amp could be more silent, there is absolutely nothing, 0, zero, nada, black, in the background, no hiss, no hums, nothing, the voices in the recordings came from the black background, if is this what you mean, well mine is like that, and the Perreaux SXH-1 is like that also, and I think that most of the good amps are like that, is this really a virtue on a good amp? I supposed that all good amps should be like that, I don't see any reason, why this should be different....a noisy amp is a bad design, and IMO a bad amp....I can't imagine an amp nowadays, with less than a -90db S/N, the Perreaux is about 120, and IIRC one of the PPA team members stated once, that a good PPA should around this value....is the XP-7 more than 120db S/N, I doubt that.....what for?

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally posted by tortie Yup, I find the $700 for the additional PSU hard to swallow too. Is the XP7 with the PSU really that much better than the battery powered unit? I've thought that the XP7s advantage of background silence vs the PPA was caused by it being battery powered. Would it be as silent with its PSU? Any comments about this guys?

It isn't $700 for the power supply. That price is for the XP-7 and a power supply.

The sound is identical to my ears with the power supply or batteries. What this power supply allows you to do is use it as a home amp as well as a portable. I have had one at work and I leave it on for about 10 hours a day so even with the great battery life it has I would still be using too many batteries over a few week period. The power supply is great in cases like this. The HR-2 that I use as my primary home amp is never turned off BTW.

 

[Sean H]

mmm...mmm...I can't wait to audition the XP-7. (Sorry Al, I gotta try it). My desire to do so had waned a bit until this thread. After the first of the year I'm going to give it a try. Pairing it with my battery powered Ack! dAck! would make for an all battery powered system (save for the transport of course). That should be very interesting.

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally posted by Sean H mmm...mmm...I can't wait to audition the XP-7. (Sorry Al, I gotta try it). My desire to do so had waned a bit until this thread. After the first of the year I'm going to give it a try. Pairing it with my battery powered Ack! dAck! would make for an all battery powered system (save for the transport of course). That should be very interesting.

That is OK Sean, just when you get it, and try it, please post your impresions here.....you never know until you try it...just keep us informed, please....