[mink70]

What about a modded MF X-cans v3? Is it not in the same class as the SinglePower and Mapletree products?

 

[BennyBoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mink70 What about a modded MF X-cans v3? Is it not in the same class as the SinglePower and Mapletree products?

Modded V3 is very much in the same(if not higher)class.

Its fast and has a tube like midrange.

 

[BennyBoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mink70 What about a modded MF X-cans v3? Is it not in the same class as the SinglePower and Mapletree products?

Modded V3 is very much in the same(if not higher)class.

Its fast and has a tube like midrange.

 

[edisonwu]

My EMP AE is super fast. Sometimes I found it too fast and prefer EMP's rhythm. But its still OK for me.

 

[ironbut]

For the otl comparison, I have both a ASL mg head otl and an Eddie Current EC01 otl amps. They couldn't be much farther apart in flavor. The ASL is lush and very tubey in the classic sense. It is great with my Senn. hd600's as the match brings a relaxed, warm sound. My EC01 is the opposite. It is fast, detailed and balanced. The Senn.s sound like a different headphone out of it but I don't think you could ever call the sound analytical. With my Beyer Dt880's and 990's they give a good deal of realism to the sound. the ASL is no longer made but the EC01 is $350 and a hell of a bargain at that price. Craig Uthus, the owner/designer of Eddie Current is second to none when it comes to customer service also.

 

[guzziguy]

Edit: Duplicate post.

 

[guzziguy]

Another Eddie Current amp to consider is the "Lunch Box Amp". At the LA meet, I listened to it side by side with the Xana Deux. It was surprisingly close. Even Craig was amazed at how close it was. It's no ZD but at 1/10 the cost it gives a pretty good taste of the ZD.

 

[MayorSimpleton]

+ 1 for a modded X-Can. Try it with some 6N1P-EB tubes for speed, punch, airiness and just the right amount of warmth.

Pluck

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sgt-Pluck + 1 for a modded X-Can. Try it with some 6N1P-EB tubes for speed, punch, airiness and just the right amount of warmth. Pluck

+2 for the XCAN v3 (modded).

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sacd lover Have you ever heard a transformer coupled amp? Because the stereotypes you offer are inconsistent with my experiences. OTL amps are not categorically softer, tubier or slower than any other tube amp. In fact, a good OTL can often be more alive and less colored than a similar transformer coupled amp. Nothing can potentially give you a warmer, slower and more colored sound than a transformer coupled amp using triodes .... particularly if the output transformers are of questionable quality and have limited bandwidth. Furthermore, this more solid state claim for transformer coupled amps, was mostly related to the fact most transformer coupled amps, that were manufactured in any of our lifetimes, used pentodes push/ pull with an Ultralinear circuit topology. The pentode tube itself definitely has a more solid state type of presentation compared to most triodes .... even if you run the pentode tube as a "strapped triode". Add the typical push/ pull Ultralinear circuit to pentode tubes and you will get a faster more solid state sound. But almost none of the amps we are discussing here use that topology. So, I believe, claiming a transformer coupled amp will have an inherently faster and more solid state presentation compared to an OTL design is just not true.

Just the MG Head DT / OTL MK III in transfer coupled mode - which is definitely faster, and more dynamic, more like SS than the OTL mode, which is more lush, warm, euphonic. And Wu reported to me that his transformer coupled amps were faster, more dynamic than his OTL amps, which are by no means as slow and lush with the typical "tubey" sound, as some other tube amps.

http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/pr...eadphone%20Amp

 

[PFKMan23]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 Just the MG Head DT / OTL MK III in transfer coupled mode - which is definitely faster, and more dynamic, more like SS than the OTL mode, which is more lush, warm, euphonic. And Wu reported to me that his transformer coupled amps were faster, more dynamic than his OTL amps, which are by no means as slow and lush with the typical "tubey" sound, as some other tube amps. http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/pr...eadphone%20Amp

So you've actually heard only one transformer coupled amp, you're going on a manufacturers viewpoint on his own line of products, and then you use those 2 examples to make a blanket statement on OTL vs. transformer coupling.

Thanks for the input.

Hopefully, we get some people in here who have actually heard various OTL and transformer coupled designs.

 

[sacd lover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gradofan2 Just the MG Head DT / OTL MK III in transfer coupled mode - which is definitely faster, and more dynamic, more like SS than the OTL mode, which is more lush, warm, euphonic. And Wu reported to me that his transformer coupled amps were faster, more dynamic than his OTL amps, which are by no means as slow and lush with the typical "tubey" sound, as some other tube amps. http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/pr...eadphone%20Amp

Guess what? The ASL uses 6BQ5 pentodes for the output tubes. So .... run OTL as a pentode this tube is going to have an overly high output impedence and consequently less bass control and a generally slower, lusher sound. Run as a typical pentode with transformer coupling the 6BQ5 will definitely have a more detailed and solid state sound as I described. This will hold true to a large degree even if the tube is being used as a strapped triode. But this is mostly due to the tube type not the design.

A transformer coupled tube design using a warm sounding triode, especially if the amp has lower quality output transformers, can and will sound as fat, dark and rolled off as any tube amp you can think of. This is exactly the type of amp that spawned the stereotype that tubes are dark, slow and rolled off .... decades ago.

 

[bobbyk]

The earmax amp Dr Juggles refers to was quite slow in its presentation of music. I should know, he bought it from me.
The amp he purchased was the original flinstone model. Some development has taken place since those original models came to the market and models such as the silver and anniversary edition are much more compulsive listening. They truely can hold their own. Well worth reviewing if you live in the UK and fancy the tubed route

 

[edisonwu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbyk /img/forum/go_quote.gif The earmax amp Dr Juggles refers to was quite slow in its presentation of music. I should know, he bought it from me. The amp he purchased was the original flinstone model. Some development has taken place since those original models came to the market and models such as the silver and anniversary edition are much more compulsive listening. They truely can hold their own. Well worth reviewing if you live in the UK and fancy the tubed route

Good amps can always hold their own.

 

[gundam91]

Just throwing in my 2 cents. I believe this really has to do with type of design and the type of tubes used in the amp. I would recommend checking out designs using 2A3 type of tubes. I have the Consonance Cyber 20 and Cyber 30. The Cyber 20 uses the 6BQ5/EL84 output tubes and has the more romantic, syrupy sound. The Cyber 30 has attributes that tends to associate with SS amp like tighter bass, fast-sounding, more dynamic, and leaner (than the Cyber 20).

Another option would be to look for hybrids with tube input stage and SS output stage like the Rudistor RP5.1 in my system.