[MatsudaMan]

I'm listening to Mozart's Requiem right now (what a piece!) on HD580's/Hornet/Sony NW-HD5 352kbps, and I'm focusing on the cellos and basses, and I think that the definition and overall grip in the bass is a bit lacking. Is this something that I can blame on the Hornet or my HD580's? The Hornet gives a punchy presentation, but I have a feeling it's not the "end all be all" of precision and clarity. For the most part, I love the sound sig of my Senns, but they can sound a bit bloated/boomy in the bass region - abundant bass, but not defined or "grippy". If any one has anything to chime in on, I'm all ears!

 

[MatsudaMan]

Oops, wrong forum.

 

[Drag0n]

We are in the amps section of the forum, but this is the full-size forum though, but at least its an amp. Take out the guts and put it in a bigger box and run it with a wall transformer and repost

 

[PFKMan23]

I owned an original Hornet and heard a well burned in Hornet M and I can say that it's definitely not the last word in how it presents bass (or the midrange and treble for that matter).

 

[vvanrij]

Lacrimosa always gets my feet tapping.

 

[catscratch]

Wrong forum maybe, but the Hornet isn't the last word in everything-definition, never mind bass. Admittedly, the 300 ohm Senns need more current than the portable Hornet can give them, but there are a lot of other portable amps that can do better when it comes to definition, starting with a lowly Porta Corda.

The Hornet has a very liquid quality to its sound and it has a fair bit of punch, though that's mostly psychoacoustic and a result of boosted midbass and lower treble. On rock and some electronic music, it works, but when you give it something more complex, you start hearing problems.

 

[MatsudaMan]

Catscratch,
Thanks so much for the info - what you say totally makes sense. When I listen to rock or jazz, the hornet really sings, but when I'm in the classical/orchestra mood, it tends to kind of let me down - not totally, just that it gets a little congested when things get complex...like you said.

Do you think that an XP-7 or an HR-2 would be a big upgrade? I've been dreaming about the Raptor, but it's a little out of my price range. Anyway, thanks for the reply.

 

[BigEat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatsudaMan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Catscratch, Thanks so much for the info - what you say totally makes sense. When I listen to rock or jazz, the hornet really sings, but when I'm in the classical/orchestra mood, it tends to kind of let me down - not totally, just that it gets a little congested when things get complex...like you said. Do you think that an XP-7 or an HR-2 would be a big upgrade? I've been dreaming about the Raptor, but it's a little out of my price range. Anyway, thanks for the reply.

I generally agree with all of the above. It's funny you close with the question you do. As I've said before, I've hung onto my XP-7 for these exact reasons. I think you would find the XP-7 reall is a big upgrade. Even in portable mode, you would notice an upgrade, but with the isolated power supply, yeah, big upgrade.