[Ikarios]

So I'll be deciding on a home system amp in the coming months, and I've decided to do another DIY for fun. My budget is $200 or less, so I've mainly been looking at the M³. However, I came across some thoughts on the PPA and I've been considering it the past few days. So, first question: is the PPA worth the ~$50 upgrade from the M³?

Also, I realize that the $200 realm is getting into some of the lower-end tube amps. Second question: Is this a viable option? I'm not too big of a fan of warmer, smoother sound, but if tubes are worth it (especially given the next paragraph), it's an option.

I'll also be getting a GoVibe V5 (probably with a 24V Elpac) for my portable rig. There've been lots of good reviews of the GoVibe, saying that it keeps up quite well with higher-end amps. Third question: will getting the Elpac with the GoVibe be redundant if I'm getting a home amp? And mini-fourth question: does the GoVibe compete well against the likes of the M³ and other similar options?

Thanks for your input and sorry if I rambled a bit

.

Oh, and as for my headphones - right now, I only have relatively low-impedance cans (all <60ohms), but I am planning on picking up a higher end headphone such as the K701, DT770, or HD595.

 

[Andrea]

IMHO no, the Go-Vibe v5 doesn't compete. You gotta hope the M3 is better sounding -- or I would stop looking at headphone amps right now, and just stick with the (not half bad, really...) headphone out of my Pioneer A-209R or something.

My customised Go-Vibe, on the other hand...

 

[sbulack]

I currently own a PPA (V1.0A) retro-fitted with Discrete Buffer, a High-Bias M^3, a Go-Vibe V5 and my choice of NiMH batteries, the Elpac and a 24V STEPS to power them. In both the PPA and the M^3, my favorite opamp is the OPA627 (and I've spent the time trying all the usual suspects in both). With my choice of those amping options, for my SR60, SR225, KSC75 and Ety ER4S (and most recently a pair of D-Jays) my hands-down favorite amp is the Go-Vibe V5 with either a NiMH Battery Pack, Elpac or STEPS powering it. There seems to be an almost magical synergy, to my ears, between the Go-Vibe V5 and those phones, over a wide variety of musical genres - which is simply not present in either the PPA or M^3. I would describe the sound from the SR225 and Ety ER4S as amped by the Go-Vibe V5 as "movingly beautiful".

I prefer the M^3 for my OTHER phones - which are HD580 (fitted with HD600 grills and a Cardas Replacement cable). To give them their fullest, most beautiful sound, the M^3 pushes them to levels of beauty that the Go-Vibe V5 does not, although the V5 drives them to produce a sound that is quite representative of the beauty of which they are capable - just not as masterfully as the M^3. I have also READ (not tried myself) that the K501 has a very special synergy with the M^3 as well.

The PPA with discrete buffer gave me my first taste of sound (with the SR225) that I would call "transparent" (prior to fitting the PPA with the discrete buffer, I always called its sound "translucent"). Were it not for the Go-Vibe V5, I would use the PPA for my Grados and Koss. But, for all of the beauty in the sound of my rig through the PPA, the Go-Vibe V5 is just plain a better match for those phones to my ears.

 

[mchang]

Quick deviation from the thread:

sbulack, have you found any differences in sound quality with the various power sources for the Go-Vibe? Is it really worth it to spend $30-40 on the Elpac power source vs. NiMHs? What size/voltage NiMHs? How about normal 9V? I'm not familiar with the other source you mentioned.

Thanks for any info.

 

[mrarroyo]

Aflac, the Go-Vibe 5 competes very well with amps that cost up over 4 times as much. Vorlon1 another Head-Fier and I met and compared about 10 portable amps. You can view the results at: http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=203445

Good luck.

 

[episiarch]

I haven't a PPA or an M³, but I have a Gilmore Lite and a HeadFive in addition to my GV5. With Ety ER-4S's and AKG K501's, which constitute the most important targets for my own amp choices, I find that the GV5 is not up to the level of either of the desktop amps. Even when Elpac-powered*, the GV5 doesn't sound as well-controlled, or as locked-on (sorry, I haven't been able come up with more precise descriptions than those) as the bigger units. Tonally the GV5 is great, but there's a sort of surefootedness in the way the larger amps handle these phones that exceeds what I hear out of the GV5.

I'm not sufficiently familiar with the M³ or PPA to say for myself how the GV5 would compare to them, but by reputation they're quite good and I would expect them similarly to surpass the GV5.

I should add that I really love my GV5 and that it is my current favorite portable amp. I just don't find it to be a full substitute for a desktop amp.

*[size=xx-small]which does add some weight and solidity to the sound but, to my ears, does not make anything I'd call a "decisive" difference. If it's a choice between putting $30-$40 towards power options for the GV5 vs. putting that same money towards a desktop amp, I'd vote for the desktop amp.[/size]

 

[chrisco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo Aflac, the Go-Vibe 5 competes very well with amps that cost up over 4 times as much. Vorlon1 another Head-Fier and I met and compared about 10 portable amps. You can view the results at: http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=203445 Good luck.

I have posted a question in that thread regarding amp purchase and the detailed info you have on that list of amps. I should have posted here I guess. If you could have a little look at the questions I have i'd appreciate it.

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by episiarch I just don't find it to be a substitute for a desktop amp.

If only it were possible, I'd like to let you hear my modified GV5. Or my modified Xenos 0HA-REP, for that matter

(especially, I may guess, my incoming new one, in which I'll implant such a beast as the AD9631 for the two output drivers)

 

[tigger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrea IMHO no, the Go-Vibe v5 doesn't compete. You gotta hope the M3 is better sounding -- or I would stop looking at headphone amps right now, and just stick with the (not half bad, really...) headphone out of my Pioneer A-209R or something. My customised Go-Vibe, on the other hand...

Can you perhaps document your actual experience with the M³ and PPA amps versus the Go-Vibe V5, as others have done here?

 

[sbulack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mchang Quick deviation from the thread: <Go-Vibe V5 Power Supply Question> Is it really worth it to spend $30-40 on the Elpac power source vs. NiMHs? Thanks for any info.

MY short answer to the "is the Elpac worth it?" question is: "Yes. The Elpac IS worth it."

The best basic, and no-nonsense information about powering a Go-Vibe V5 comes from its designer on the website page:
http://www.go-vibe-headphoneamp.com/Power_Supply_.html

On the main Go-Vibe V5 thread, I made an attempt at a decent recounting of my power source experiences and a discussion of the power supply issues, and the costs and values of various power sources for a Go-Vibe V5. Here is the link to that post in that thread which started a discussion of this area.
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...&postcount=162

I really don't have anything of substance to add to what I've already posted on that thread - for what that's worth (the assessment of which I'll leave up to you).

 

[mchang]

Thanks! I'll check there.

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigger Can you perhaps document your actual experience with the M³ and PPA amps versus the Go-Vibe V5, as others have done here?

Errr...I think that my reply was a bit more articulate.

To answer your particular question: no. Happy?

 

[afobisme]

you should write up a template on your opinion of the GV5 and copy/paste whenever someone asks for input. saves time

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by afobisme you should write up a template on your opinion of the GV5 and copy/paste whenever someone asks for input. saves time

LOL.

 

[Ikarios]

Err, the responses in this thread are a bit mixed...

Let's make it a little clearer:

GoVibe V5 with 24V Elpac Power Adapter and forego the M3/PPA
or
GoVibe V5, 9.6V rechargeables, and an M3 for computer use?

At first, I wanted to get both the power adapter and the M3, but then I realized that with an M3, the power adapter would likely be unused.