[Armaegis]

Quote:

 
 I'd judge which side after I opened the unit up. Interesting 1/4" I was thinking something with a plate  which is why I was so wary of drilling the front. The smaller size also has an option to have one with a switch built in like the bottlehead S.E.X.

 
I've got a couple of these hefty Switchcraft jacks that I was thinking would be good for a project like this...
 

 

 
 
edit:
Then again, maybe a 1/4" jack is a bad idea since you might short the terminals together and that's bad mojo. 

 

[M-13]

Man those internal photos are sexy. Love that huge toroidal transformer.

 

[zilch0md]

My a-100 Mini-x toroidal transformer is wrapped in foil - different from that seen in the photo.

Mine is more like the one seen in this XDA-2 photo:

Mike

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

 
Hey Zoom25,
 
I really loved your suggestion, but I've scoured the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, called Marantz, called Magnolia Home Theater's main number, called several independent Marantz dealers, but can't find any anyone who has the PM8004 in stock.  Everybody says, "I can order one for you - it's $999."   
 
This area is an audiophile desert when it comes to brick and mortar stores (except for mid-fi home theater equipment).
 
So...  as is nearly always the case with Head-Fi gear, even for a Marantz 2-channel speaker amp, I'm going to have to mail order it before I can listen to it. 
 
That's not really a problem, as I can return it to Amazon easily enough if it disappoints me in any way (unlikely).   But it would have been nice to go with your suggestion!  
 
I just checked your profile - I suppose Toronto is big enough to have some nice brick and mortar audio stores.
 
Mike
 

 
Ahhh that sucks a lot man. I think you'll get the musicality for sure with Marantz. Bass MIGHT be heavier on the Emotiva but more controlled on the Marantz...based on some reviews with speakers. If you have the return option with Amazon then I guess it's a good second option.
 
I'm in your boat as well. All this Marantz talk got me searching for Marantz dealers as well. You would think a huge place like Toronto would be filled with audio stuff. Unfornutaly, it's not as big as you might expect it to be. High end headphone here is okay. Only 2-3 decent stores that somewhat have some brands.
 
Now full on audio home theater/speaker market is much better than headphones but still not up to the mark I expect it to be. Marantz is surprisingly one of the more popular brands here, so you can get some stuff here. However, the PM8004 is not carried by every store. I found this trend to be true around North America as well when I was reading up on other forums. Majority of the stores will be carrying their full on 5.1/7.1 home theater receiver/amplifier or even their CD players. However, the integrated amps is more for the audio purists, so less dealers are stocking here as well.
 
I'll let you know if I can try it again. Although this time it won't be with HE-500 like last time as I don't have it anymore, so LCD-3 will be getting used. I found HE-500 to be the least efficient out the bunch with LCD-2 and LCD-3 through Emotiva. LCD-2 required about 70-75% of HE-500's power. LCD-3 is a bit less efficient on Emotiva, so have to turn it up to 85-95% of HE-500. With LCD-2 and PM8004 (70Watts), I would have been screwed. LCD-3 should at least make things slightly better.

 

[zilch0md]

Whoa, do you really think PM8004 > LCD-2 would have too much power?

That's what I wanted to test.

Audeze support says 70Wpc into 8-Ohms is OK with the LCD-2, as long as I'm cautious with the volume control (without resistors). But I hear you... I'll probably reach 85dB at something like 7:30 or 8-o'clock on the volume control.

I suppose there really are very few cities in North America with stores where 2-channel audio is the main offering. It's been all about "home theater" as you've pointed out, for many years.

My best TV is a Sharp 27-inch CRT - for real - with no digital service. Our only other TV, upstairs, is a Panasonic 19" CRT.



That's how important "home theater" is in our house! But I can spend hours at a time reading and listening to music.

Mike

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

But I can spend hours at a time reading and listening to music.
 

 
Sounds like a good way to spend time 

 

[Zoom25]

Quote:

Whoa, do you really think PM8004 > LCD-2 would have too much power?

That's what I wanted to test.

Audeze support says 70Wpc into 8-Ohms is OK with the LCD-2, as long as I'm cautious with the volume control (without resistors). But I hear you... I'll probably reach 85dB at something like 7:30 or 8-o'clock on the volume control.

I suppose there really are very few cities in North America with stores where 2-channel audio is the main offering. It's been all about "home theater" as you've pointed out, for many years.

My best TV is a Sharp 27-inch CRT - for real - with no digital service. Our only other TV, upstairs, is a Panasonic 19" CRT.



That's how important "home theater" is in our house! But I can spend hours at a time reading and listening to music.

Mike

 
Ya I thought of giving you a heads up as I saw LCD-2 on your list. Over the last 8 months I've noticed a bunch of people here that either have no hum at all, very barely audible hum or a definite noticeable hum when connecting the LCD-2 and HE-500 to the Emotiva. This can be due to variation in Emotiva and/or the headphones.
 
For me, without resistors on Emotiva:
 
HE-500 - completely dead silent. 
LCD-2 - noticeable hum at volume at minimum. Not a problem when music is playing
LCD-3 - It's there when you focus real hard but it's about as low hum as you could imagine. It's very close to the thershold of hearing. You'll need to be in a very quiet room to even pick it up.
 
On a side not, LCD-3 definitely feels a bit resricted on the Emotiva at times so far. HE-500 was quite good as well on the Emotiva. LCD-2 to me was the best combination even though I barely got the least volume play.
 
So comfortable volume dial on the Emotiva would be:
 
HE-500: 9:00-10:00 (typically 9:30)
LCD-2: 7:30-8:30
LCD-3: 9:00
 
LCD-2 being the most efficient in my case, I'd be quite careful when hooking it up and turning the volume on PM8004. IMO Marantz also lists their power output quite fairly unlike Pioneer, Denon, Sony receivers, so you're more likely to be closer to the 70 Watts listed.
 
Let's hope that in the future more retailers start carrying better brands. On a good note, Future Shop/Best Buy here has started carrying Martin Logan electrostats speakers, so it's a start. So if these general electronic stores are starting to sell electrostats, the proper audio retailers need to get their stuff together and start stocking as well as having it ready for audition. So many times I've ran into dealers that carry it, but don't have it up for audition as they are all in a closed box and only available for purchase, even though they are listed officially with Marantz.
 
I still have one of those TV's. I keep a 27" as well for Wii in my basement.

 

[zilch0md]

Thanks for the details.
 
I might prefer a higher SPL than you and/or my DAC could have a higher output voltage, but with my LCD-2, I normally run at around 9 o'clock vs. your 7:30-8:30.   But, if and when I get the PM8004, I'll go very easy with it, to be sure.  I've got some Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 45s (bookshelf speakers) that I'm also interested in using with the PM8004, so I might end up keeping it for the near-field setup even if I don't use the PM8004 with my LCD-2 ultimately.  
 
See this Christ Martens review of the very affordable ($199 each) StudioMonitor 45.  He's my favorite audio reviewer, btw.
 
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/buyers_guides/18/download/pdf/    (pp. 26 and 27)
 
Wow!  You still have a CRT TV!   Yay!  

 
Mike

 

[koiloco]

A little of topic!  Now that I have the Emo at home and enjoying it.   I am looking into getting an DAC/Amp for the office.  I like the design of woo audio amps and have been reading good positive reviews about the WA7 having good synergy with HE500.  The question I have is that the output pwr of the WA7 is of course quite low when compared to the Emo so what's the deal here with people/reviews saying that the WA7 has way more power needed to drive the HE500.  Am I missing or misreading any specs here?  Thx.
 
Nvm, I found this on wooaudio website.  The WA7 is a little devil with quite a bit of pwr output.
 
http://wooaudio.com/docs/wooaudio_amplifier_comparisons.pdf

 

[Anda]

Are you going to use HE-500 at work as well? An integrated amplifier with built-in DAC maybe?

 

[davidsh]

Isn't that a stereo receiver?

 

[koiloco]

Are you going to use HE-500 at work as well? An integrated amplifier with built-in DAC maybe?

That's too big for me at the office and yes I m using the he500 with it.

 

[Anda]

Quote:

That's too big for me at the office and yes I m using the he500 with it.

 
Wadia 151 PowerDAC @ $800?

 

[Genuwine]

Hi i want to use my Hifiman He-500's on the Emotiva Mini x a-100. I was wondering which cable what i need in order to connect it to the speaker amp? This is my current and only cable i have for my 500's
 
 

 

[davidsh]

Quote:

Hi i want to use my Hifiman He-500's on the Emotiva Mini x a-100. I was wondering which cable what i need in order to connect it to the speaker amp? This is my current and only cable i have for my 500's

Depends. You wanna order a new cable? Can you make it yourself? You wanna keep the stock cable?
 
You can make/buy an adapter for the stock cable. You can also order a cable that is terminated in banana plugs or the like.