[Weps]

I bought a DT880 250 Ohm and I'm now looking for a (budget) amp. I'm thinking about the Firestone Cute Beyond, Meier Corda Swing or Phoenix G3. I mainly listen to pop/rock/electronic. No classical. Which one to choose?

 

[userlander]

Add Thunderbolt Max to the list. The beyers sounds great with this amp.

 

[TheBigCW]

Look for a used Headfive (same amp as the Swing, much cheaper). I haven't heard the DT880 with them, but in my experience they amp pretty much everything very well.

 

[NumLock]

I got the Firestone Cute Beyond a few weeks ago and it sounds very good. Though it is getting neglected since I received a Little Dot MKVII+ this week.

 

[Weps]

Thanks for the suggestions. With the budget I have at the moment, I'll probably have to choose between the Cute Beyond and de Phenix G3. Which one is the best option? I've read a lot of positive things about the Phenix, but some people say it's especially good for classical and not for pop/rock. I mainly listen to pop/rock/electronic...

 

[userlander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weps /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the suggestions. With the budget I have at the moment, I'll probably have to choose between the Cute Beyond and de Phenix G3. Which one is the best option? I've read a lot of positive things about the Phenix, but some people say it's especially good for classical and not for pop/rock. I mainly listen to pop/rock/electronic...

At $100 shipped, the Thunderbolt Max imo is a much better buy than either of those, and with its tube-like warmth it sounds fantastic especially with rock, pop, and electronic. Why so quick to disregard that amp?

 

[Weps]

Quote:

Originally Posted by userlander /img/forum/go_quote.gif At $100 shipped, the Thunderbolt Max imo is a much better buy than either of those, and with its tube-like warmth it sounds fantastic especially with rock, pop, and electronic. Why so quick to disregard that amp?

Well, I can't find many reviews of this amp. When I search for Thunderbolt Max, I mainly find posts with your name in.

Don't get me wrong, I really believe you when you're saying it's a good amp for the DT 880, but I'd like to read some more opinions. After all, how things sound can be very personal...

 

[userlander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weps /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, I can't find many reviews of this amp. When I search for Thunderbolt Max, I mainly find posts with your name in. Don't get me wrong, I really believe you when you're saying it's a good amp for the DT 880, but I'd like to read some more opinions. After all, how things sound can be very personal...

This forum is a little biased against hotaudio because he's not a paid sponsor of the forum. So there aren't going to be as many reviews here as there are of things like the uDAC. You can PM angle_sh00ter who also has the amp and loves it, or search on the Philippines headphone site or audioreview.com where people know how great this gear sounds. You probably won't find a lot here. It's mostly a marketing site for the paid sponsors' gear, so you kind of have to keep that in mind and take what you read here with a pretty big grain of salt.

For example, from the audioreview forum:

Quote:

Check this guys stuff out Geoffcin. This is that Canadian cat I was telling you about. Don't be fooled by price or appearance. These things perform. There are several different units. Throw on some vinyl, relax and browse. I've heard the Ultra Smoothie and the Thunderbolt. I thought of the Ultra Smoothie for you. My buddy swears by this stuff, I borrowed both and as a "headphone guy" was most impressed. Again, the price point is amazing. The guy who makes them is DEAD serious about his audio. http://forums.audioreview.com/showpo...4&postcount=17

 

[jcoops16]

Sorry to hijack the thread but this ones for Userlander.

How do you connect your thunderbolt to your v-dac? And does the v-dac have any dc offset?

 

[userlander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcoops16 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry to hijack the thread but this ones for Userlander. How do you connect your thunderbolt to your v-dac? And does the v-dac have any dc offset?

RCA out -> mini.

The v-dac might have a very slight DC offset, but it doesn't seem to be an issue with any amp I've used it with.

 

[jcoops16]

Quote:

Originally Posted by userlander /img/forum/go_quote.gif RCA out -> mini. The v-dac might have a very slight DC offset, but it doesn't seem to be an issue with any amp I've used it with.

Thanks.

Is your thunderbolt DC or AC coupled? I ask because on the hotaudio site it doesnt give much info on this.

If I was going to try a hotaudio amp then I would want to play around wth it, try different sources, some of these sources might have offset some might not.
Does the AC coupled version allow it to used with any source? is on better than the other? These are things I dont understand.

 

[wmf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NumLock /img/forum/go_quote.gif I got the Firestone Cute Beyond a few weeks ago and it sounds very good. Though it is getting neglected since I received a Little Dot MKVII+ this week.

would certainly like a review on that LD MKVII+ if you get a chance.

 

[userlander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcoops16 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks. Is your thunderbolt DC or AC coupled? I ask because on the hotaudio site it doesnt give much info on this. If I was going to try a hotaudio amp then I would want to play around wth it, try different sources, some of these sources might have offset some might not. Does the AC coupled version allow it to used with any source? is on better than the other? These are things I dont understand.

If the site doesn't explain it, how do you expect me to know? I'm not an electrical engineer, just a headphone listener.

D4mmit Jim - I'm a surgeon, not an engineer!

Seriously though - I would ask the guy who makes them - he always seems glad to explain the technical aspects of things, which I have close to zero understanding about.

What I can tell you is that I've used the amp with the V-DAC, with the uDAC, with the DAC-Extasy, with the line out from my Panasonic CD player, and even just for fun out of the sansa clip. It sounds great with all these sources, although best with the V-DAC and the Extasy.

I did an extensive listening session last night with the Audiotailor Jade tube amp (edit: stock tubes), and I am hard pressed to hear a lot of differences. The Jade has a *very slightly* more "plump" mid-bass or lower mid range (a kind of "bloom"), it is also just a little bit "smoother" in some upper mid to high frequency area, although in comparison often to the expense of some detail. The soundstage is about even on both, while the Jade seems a little better at imaging. But in my estimation, I suspect those minor differences all just fall within the realm of tube vs. SS. If you didn't have them side by side for comparison, you probably would not really notice much difference. The average listener certainly wouldn't. If anything, imo the T-Max sounds better for its increased clarity and sparkle, the Jade sounds slightly tamer and more subdued, which I guess would be expected for a tube amp. I have to really concentrate and try to analyze what I'm hearing to identify differences.

Needless to say, that is quite an impressive feat for an SS amp, especially one in this price range. To sound this close to a tube amp, and even surpass it in certain ways, all at this size and price point is just remarkable. If you like the kind of rich organic sound of tubes but without some of the "tubbiness" -- or said another way, while retaining the kind of clarity, attack, precision, etc. of SS, do yourself a favor and do not overlook this amp. I'm surprised these aren't more well known and discussed here, but TBH I think that says more about this forum than it does the quality of the amp. If you are capable of hearing things very objectively, without being influenced by FOTM hype, peer pressure, popular opinion, etc. I simply don't see how you could conclude this is anything but a great sounding amp. If you say this amp doesn't sound good, you would also have to say the Jade doesn't sound good, which means you would have to say that the DV366 -- which the Jade is supposed to sound better than -- doesn't sound good, which would mean you would have to say that some of the Woo amps that the Jade is said to be about equal to also don't sound good.

I don't think so.

This is a little gem, there is no doubt about it. It sounds very close to a Jade tube amp, for crying out loud -- which neither the much hyped C-2C or 2-3x more expensive PH100 even come close to doing. How much more do you want for $100?? Which is a totally sick price to begin with - I can't believe the price is down to $100 again. I can only conclude that the other stuff is way overpriced, because this thing beats most even above its "class" or whatever for just $100. That's just nuts.

 

[hotaudio40]

Yes AC version lets it be used with every source.

DC just means there are no coupling capacitors and you MUST know if your source has DC offset.

Most sources don't, but some recording industry DATs etc. do....

I might make them all AC just so people don't get confused....

Then when someone makes a DC coupled amplifier they'll want $1000s of dollars for it

for real...

I try to put out the best stuff, but sometimes my audience just doesn't understand what they are getting....

This post may be deleted...

 

[jcoops16]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotaudio40 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes AC version lets it be used with every source. DC just means there are no coupling capacitors and you MUST know if your source has DC offset. Most sources don't, but some recording industry DATs etc. do.... I might make them all AC just so people don't get confused.... Then when someone makes a DC coupled amplifier they'll want $1000s of dollars for it for real... I try to put out the best stuff, but sometimes my audience just doesn't understand what they are getting.... This post may be deleted...

Great, thanks for the reply.

Out of interest is there any benefit to using the dc coupled amp instead of the ac coupled version? is there a difference sound wise?