RGA
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2001
- Posts
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The following review is for the MG Head DT headphone amplifier with (Stock)2 x Russian Sovtek 6BQ5 power tubes, and 1 x JJ Tesla 12AX7 pre:
The headphones used for this review were the Sennheiser HD600s.
Source: Cambridge Audio CD6 with Tara Labs interconnects.
Purchasing a headphone system at one time never entered my mind, but with changing circumstances and now living in an apartment the headphone is the best option. Indeed, it's tough to listen to your stereo system at even moderate levels without the neighbors complaining. Thus, the idea to purchase headphones came to be. After choosing the accomplished HD600s, I was now faced with the fact that My Arcam Delta 290 Integrated was not going to cut it in the long run. If the noise didn't drive me nuts then the lack of emotion generated would.
Enter the dedicated headphone amp. Like many of you I started doing research...and since I have always owned solid-state amplifiers, I started with these. The Creek OBH-II/IISE was my favorite sub $400.00 model up against several competent contenders including Grado, EAR, and the (Tube) Musical Fidelity XCansV2.
Anyway, let's get on to the point - The MG Head DT is the best from this lot...even with the supposedly barely adequate stock tubes. Why? Because everything in the midrange band is done so well. Indeed, I kept thinking if this is what a <$300.00 tube amp can sound like why did we invent solid state amps?
So after hooking up the 10lb headphone amp (quite heavy for a headphone amp) plugged in the phones, turned the switch on and ready to go...Surely I burned it in for piles of hours? NOPE. Well I at least waited 1/2 hour for the tubes to warm up? NOPE. Come on I'm too impatient for all that nonsense.
I thought I'd give the amp a tough test from the get go. Tube amps are continually said to have slower dynamics, or at least terrible for dance music. So I pulled out Madonna's Immaculate Collection (Yes Yes I'm Still in the 80s). First track I decided on was Vogue...right off the bat a big deep bass thump...tones are well defined from the upper treble response to those pumping drum kicks (which were even deeper and more defined on "Justify My Love." The Sennheiser’s big power demand didn't muddy the midrange that I was expecting. Madonna's voice came through crystal clear...with those drum beats never losing cohesion. Tight, Focused, Fast and with goose bump producing detail.
Female vocals are not always satisfying on systems and far too many people skip vocal testing for instrumentals. Remember, the best thing you can test is what you are most used to...Logically the human voice should be at or near the top of your testing as this is what we are most used to hearing.
Ok, Madonna's fine, but what else have you got. Well next up were several selections from Enya's "Watermark." The track "Exile" has Enya soothingly singing inside of you...a flute enters above and seamlessly enveloped me. Only a hint of hardness at louder levels...remember though the stock tubes are merely adequate. "Evening Falls is the next track that beautifully has Enya blowing those notes into your ears…sheer magic.
Ok, but let’s try some strings. 1st up is the exceptionally well-recorded Schindler’s List soundtrack featuring the renowned Itzhak Perlman. From the first note Perlman’s violin sweetly creates all the emotion and depth in his soul and of Spielberg’s masterpiece. The Orchestra fills in behind him very well. Nothing gets mixed up even in the most complex of passages.
The next few classical recordings presented no trouble – from Vivaldi’s Eleven Concertos (Sony Music SK 62719), Mozart’s String Quintets Vol. 3 K593 * K.614 (Naxos 8.553105) all the way to the Reference Recordings’ Helicon Ensemble of Vivaldi – Bach. The latter bringing out truly mesmerizing precision over the Harpsichord and strings. There is more going on in this album than I’ve heard before. Violins can often sound shrill on lesser equipment…The MG Head softens the top end slightly and opens up the midrange magic. Nothing is left cold or brittle. There is of course room for improvement here and, one I’m sure, is better tubes.
How about some good ol’ Rock and Roll? Well, first I started with Jackson Browne’s “The Pretender” and Wow. Even an average recording like this one has depth in the frequency extremes…it is here that tubes have an advantage…the harsh highs found with the SS amps are gone with the MG Head…but not the highs. Next came The Outfield’s “Play Deep” album track 1 “Say It isn’t so”. Another adequate recording that is never harsh, always solid and with none of that thinness found in poorer recordings.
OK, but what about harder stuff? How bout Aerosmith’s “Pump” Good ol Steven Tyler is belting out as good as ever in Janie’s Got a Gun and the Snare and Kick drums still have a great deal of impact not becoming muddy. However, when played at much louder levels the midrange thins out considerably…either that or my hearing is thinning out at those levels…ouch! What’s that you want harder rock? How about Motley Crue’s Dr. Feelgood album and “Kickstart My Heart.” Well recorded or not, this track has a lot happening at high speeds and has a motorbike as an instrument. The MG Head kept up again deciphering and separating everything out splendidly. The very lowest notes were subdued in favour of presenting the vocals…this could be due to the recording or vocal placing. Still, a very minor quibble considering the ridiculous price.
Lastly I had to try another throbbing dance track…”Rhythm of the Night by Corina off the Much Music’s Dance Mix ’94 (Quality). Bass is deep and driving, as a good dance track needs to be…vocals are clear defined and bags of rhythm (Indeed the echo effects in “Get- A – Way” is truly exceptional. The amp has oodles of welly to drive the HD600s at loud levels while maintaining such a high level of detail, cohesion, and accuracy.
That’s all … whew! This is easily the best purchase I’ve made in quite a number of years…the next time someone tells you tubes are no good at dance music let them have a listen to this set-up…they’ll have a truly cathartic experience. For less than $300.00 US, you can have a wonderfully sounding unit that may make you sell your speakers.
The best news is that you can use this amp as a preamp for your stereo system (requires a ¼ pin to RCA Jack adapter) and it sounds this good WITHOUT good tubes.
And a final note on noise, there is no Hum or hiss in this amplifier, which bettered all of the solid-state amps I’ve heard at this price. The amp can also be further modified at a reasonable sum but even this stock DT version is simply stunning…and if it were 3 times this price would still be a bargain. Nice going ASL for yet another audiophile caliber product at a price that even students can afford.
Further review can be found at Soundstage http://www.soundstage.com/systems/systems200006.htm
The headphones used for this review were the Sennheiser HD600s.
Source: Cambridge Audio CD6 with Tara Labs interconnects.
Purchasing a headphone system at one time never entered my mind, but with changing circumstances and now living in an apartment the headphone is the best option. Indeed, it's tough to listen to your stereo system at even moderate levels without the neighbors complaining. Thus, the idea to purchase headphones came to be. After choosing the accomplished HD600s, I was now faced with the fact that My Arcam Delta 290 Integrated was not going to cut it in the long run. If the noise didn't drive me nuts then the lack of emotion generated would.
Enter the dedicated headphone amp. Like many of you I started doing research...and since I have always owned solid-state amplifiers, I started with these. The Creek OBH-II/IISE was my favorite sub $400.00 model up against several competent contenders including Grado, EAR, and the (Tube) Musical Fidelity XCansV2.
Anyway, let's get on to the point - The MG Head DT is the best from this lot...even with the supposedly barely adequate stock tubes. Why? Because everything in the midrange band is done so well. Indeed, I kept thinking if this is what a <$300.00 tube amp can sound like why did we invent solid state amps?
So after hooking up the 10lb headphone amp (quite heavy for a headphone amp) plugged in the phones, turned the switch on and ready to go...Surely I burned it in for piles of hours? NOPE. Well I at least waited 1/2 hour for the tubes to warm up? NOPE. Come on I'm too impatient for all that nonsense.
I thought I'd give the amp a tough test from the get go. Tube amps are continually said to have slower dynamics, or at least terrible for dance music. So I pulled out Madonna's Immaculate Collection (Yes Yes I'm Still in the 80s). First track I decided on was Vogue...right off the bat a big deep bass thump...tones are well defined from the upper treble response to those pumping drum kicks (which were even deeper and more defined on "Justify My Love." The Sennheiser’s big power demand didn't muddy the midrange that I was expecting. Madonna's voice came through crystal clear...with those drum beats never losing cohesion. Tight, Focused, Fast and with goose bump producing detail.
Female vocals are not always satisfying on systems and far too many people skip vocal testing for instrumentals. Remember, the best thing you can test is what you are most used to...Logically the human voice should be at or near the top of your testing as this is what we are most used to hearing.
Ok, Madonna's fine, but what else have you got. Well next up were several selections from Enya's "Watermark." The track "Exile" has Enya soothingly singing inside of you...a flute enters above and seamlessly enveloped me. Only a hint of hardness at louder levels...remember though the stock tubes are merely adequate. "Evening Falls is the next track that beautifully has Enya blowing those notes into your ears…sheer magic.
Ok, but let’s try some strings. 1st up is the exceptionally well-recorded Schindler’s List soundtrack featuring the renowned Itzhak Perlman. From the first note Perlman’s violin sweetly creates all the emotion and depth in his soul and of Spielberg’s masterpiece. The Orchestra fills in behind him very well. Nothing gets mixed up even in the most complex of passages.
The next few classical recordings presented no trouble – from Vivaldi’s Eleven Concertos (Sony Music SK 62719), Mozart’s String Quintets Vol. 3 K593 * K.614 (Naxos 8.553105) all the way to the Reference Recordings’ Helicon Ensemble of Vivaldi – Bach. The latter bringing out truly mesmerizing precision over the Harpsichord and strings. There is more going on in this album than I’ve heard before. Violins can often sound shrill on lesser equipment…The MG Head softens the top end slightly and opens up the midrange magic. Nothing is left cold or brittle. There is of course room for improvement here and, one I’m sure, is better tubes.
How about some good ol’ Rock and Roll? Well, first I started with Jackson Browne’s “The Pretender” and Wow. Even an average recording like this one has depth in the frequency extremes…it is here that tubes have an advantage…the harsh highs found with the SS amps are gone with the MG Head…but not the highs. Next came The Outfield’s “Play Deep” album track 1 “Say It isn’t so”. Another adequate recording that is never harsh, always solid and with none of that thinness found in poorer recordings.
OK, but what about harder stuff? How bout Aerosmith’s “Pump” Good ol Steven Tyler is belting out as good as ever in Janie’s Got a Gun and the Snare and Kick drums still have a great deal of impact not becoming muddy. However, when played at much louder levels the midrange thins out considerably…either that or my hearing is thinning out at those levels…ouch! What’s that you want harder rock? How about Motley Crue’s Dr. Feelgood album and “Kickstart My Heart.” Well recorded or not, this track has a lot happening at high speeds and has a motorbike as an instrument. The MG Head kept up again deciphering and separating everything out splendidly. The very lowest notes were subdued in favour of presenting the vocals…this could be due to the recording or vocal placing. Still, a very minor quibble considering the ridiculous price.
Lastly I had to try another throbbing dance track…”Rhythm of the Night by Corina off the Much Music’s Dance Mix ’94 (Quality). Bass is deep and driving, as a good dance track needs to be…vocals are clear defined and bags of rhythm (Indeed the echo effects in “Get- A – Way” is truly exceptional. The amp has oodles of welly to drive the HD600s at loud levels while maintaining such a high level of detail, cohesion, and accuracy.
That’s all … whew! This is easily the best purchase I’ve made in quite a number of years…the next time someone tells you tubes are no good at dance music let them have a listen to this set-up…they’ll have a truly cathartic experience. For less than $300.00 US, you can have a wonderfully sounding unit that may make you sell your speakers.
The best news is that you can use this amp as a preamp for your stereo system (requires a ¼ pin to RCA Jack adapter) and it sounds this good WITHOUT good tubes.
And a final note on noise, there is no Hum or hiss in this amplifier, which bettered all of the solid-state amps I’ve heard at this price. The amp can also be further modified at a reasonable sum but even this stock DT version is simply stunning…and if it were 3 times this price would still be a bargain. Nice going ASL for yet another audiophile caliber product at a price that even students can afford.
Further review can be found at Soundstage http://www.soundstage.com/systems/systems200006.htm
