[erikzen]

I know that they must be fully burned in because you state that in the original post and the chips have gotten a lot of use. I was just wondering if chips sit idle for a while if they need a bit of a warm up period to refresh its "structural memory". Think of a car. It needs a few hundred or a 1000 miles to break in, but afterwards, it needs a few minutes to warm up to perform optimally.

 

[john_jcb]

Yes, they do take a few minutes to reach their optimum performance when switching the op amps. I was not even thinking about that as I leave mine on 24/7 so it is always ready to go.

 

[BANGPOD]

john_jcb --

Where are these op-amps right now?
I would love to get in on this...

Scott

 

[erikzen]

I have the opamps right now. If I have it right, patrickhat2001 is after me. Don't really know how it flows after that.

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BANGPOD john_jcb -- Where are these op-amps right now? I would love to get in on this... Scott

If I remember correctly after erikzen finishes patrickhat2001 is next followed by BHD812 then GPalmer if he is back from Scotland.

Bangpod (Scott) you are more than welcome to join the list. After you try them tell us what you heard and if no one else wants to try them they would be returned to me.

 

[BANGPOD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by john_jcb If I remember correctly after erikzen finishes patrickhat2001 is next followed by BHD812 then GPalmer if he is back from Scotland. Bangpod (Scott) you are more than welcome to join the list. After you try them tell us what you heard and if no one else wants to try them they would be returned to me.

john_jcb --

Thank you so much, that would be great.
Will I receive a PM or will it be posted here?
I will post a full review after I have had a chance to hear them.

Scott

 

[john_jcb]

Probably both. Who ever ends up before you will need your address. I think mine is on the list but if it is not let me know.

 

[gpalmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by john_jcb then GPalmer if he is back from Scotland.

I have it from an excellent source that he won't be back till the middle of November...

 

[john_jcb]

Thanks, so I guess Billy can send the kit to Bangpod when he is done with it. We will get it to you GPalmer if you have time and interest when you return.

 

[erikzen]

The middle of November will be here before you know it.

Incidently, I'm listening to the OPA604 right now. Not bad. So far I like the 627 better, especially with the DT 931. I'm hoping to find a chip that sounds exceedly well with the HD25-1.

 

[erikzen]

Just thought I'd let everyone know the status of the kit and give some brief impressions.

So far, I've tested out 4 sets of chips, including the 797, which I already had - AD797, OPA627BP, OPA604AP and LT1028. I'm currently listening to the LT1115. I have two more sets of opamps to try out (three including the 8610's but I have a set of those). I should be able to finish up in a week's time. If I'm taking too long please let me know and I'll speed it up.

Differences seem pretty subtle so far. I've found that some of the chips seem to have a smoother sound signature than others, which mate well with my DT 931.

Here are some brief adjectives about each one:

AD797 - Beefy, upfront
OPA627BP - Smooth, musical without sacrificing detail
OpA604AP - Similar to 627 without as much detail
LT1028 - Bright, upfront, detailed, clear
LT1115 - Smooth, musical, involving, slighty distant, less detailed and less emphasis on the high frequencies than 1028.

LT1115 seems to be the best match so far, but maybe it's because I'm listening to it now and sonic memory fades quickly.

I'm curious to hear if my findings are similar to others or if I'm complete off the mark.

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by erikzen I should be able to finish up in a week's time. If I'm taking too long please let me know and I'll speed it up.

I am in no hurry but I have listened to them all already.

The 4 people remaining after you are are Patrickhat2001, BHD812, Bangpod and GPalmer and I have not got any dunning PM's from them yet. So unless you hear differently take the time you need.

 

[scrypt]

I, too, would enjoy being the recipient of jcb's tear-provoking generosity. (I'm weeping as I type this, so please excuse the blurred font.) I promise not to leak fluids on ye wee op amps if jcb favors me with list status and if I actually receive the chips within my lifetime.

An XP-7 should be arriving at my apartment door in roughly 7.384 days. I should be able to listen to jcb's MPD-inducing array of op amps after that, since I'll have served my two weeks of jail time for beating down James Brown after he refused to put out simply because I reeked of St. Bernardus Abt 12. Women -- they're all the same. They're all 71-year-old black male heterosexual funk singers who won't forgive a proper beat-down by a man whose traumatic childhood compels him to drink ludicrous amounts of Belgian ale.

However, I must shriek from behind these profoundly forbidding and stinky-assed bars, serving time in relative darkness can only *enhance* the sensations induced by obsessive op amp swapping.

Thank the Floating Stegosaurus my mother was able to smuggle a laptop with an Airport card into the visiting room, allowing me to type this very sentence (while crying, of course -- I never blubber more moistly than while typing parentheticals).

 

[john_jcb]

Scrypt it would be a pleasure to add you to the list. Gpalmer is still tentative as a recipient as he has been away in Scotland for quite a while.

Please PM erikzen with your name and address so that it can be added to the list. IMO it is probably a good thing that you have some time to really become familiar with your amp before you start changing op amps. It makes the initial differences a little easier to hear.

 

[erikzen]

I have a question about inserting the opamps mounted on the BrownDogs for the XP-7. How do I know which way to orient the chip? The only discerning feature is that one pin of the BD has a square mounting. If the amp is facing you, would that pin go on the bottom left or top right?