[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by doctorjuggles Where are you based?

Italy

 

[boodi]

how many have the new hornet yet on ears ?
can someone report more about the synergies / qualities , and compare it to the old hornet / Xin SuperMacro III/v6 or IV?

I'm especially interested in pairing it with my rockbox imod / Grado ps-1 / and some recabled Senns and the Shure e-500..

Ray , if you would like to ship me a sample of the new M Hornet then I'll be glad to review it .

 

[Andrea]

I've changed my mind about the AD8397. Now I like it! (powered with 24V, at least, which I hadn't tried before; and, 'course, in different amps)

 

[volcomjerk]

Got my Hornet today. Not super impressed YET. I'm only listening to them with Koss KSC-75s. I'm still waiting on all 3 of my IEMs to try this thing out. I've been switching back and forth with source only and with the source amp'ed.

From what I hear Hornet's need a good amount of burn-in to show it's true colors. Out of the box I like it but I haven't been wow'ed yet. I'm hoping the Westone UM2's can change that. I'm starting to think its the limitation of my headphones that are limiting the Hornet.

So far I love the case and how small it is. Ray really does an excellent job on the whole package and I'm going to give this a little more time before coming to conclusions about it. Maybe I should have waited for my IEMs before trying it out.

Here's to a better Hornet over time!

Edit: Listening to Dogs Die in Hot Cars on the Hornet and it sounds GREAT! So far I need to pick some better music. Sometimes the music I have just isn't complex enough to bring certain qualities but wow! lovin' how Dogs Die in Hot Cars sound.


Side note: The KSC-75s I listened to for the first time today and I am more wow'ed by how good they sound for 13 dollars.

 

[Filburt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by volcomjerk From what I hear Hornet's need a good amount of burn-in to show it's true colors. Out of the box I like it but I haven't been wow'ed yet. I'm hoping the Westone UM2's can change that. I'm starting to think its the limitation of my headphones that are limiting the Hornet.

Psychological acclimation to the sound will probably yield positive subjective results. It takes time to get used to new equipment, and after doing so the "wow" may come thereafter.

 

[volcomjerk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Filburt Psychological acclimation to the sound will probably yield positive subjective results. It takes time to get used to new equipment, and after doing so the "wow" may come thereafter.

Yeah, that's what happened with my K701's when I had them. Can I burn the Hornet in by playing music through it and not having headphones plugged in?

 

[wakeride74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by volcomjerk Yeah, that's what happened with my K701's when I had them. Can I burn the Hornet in by playing music through it and not having headphones plugged in?

nope

 

[Filburt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by volcomjerk Yeah, that's what happened with my K701's when I had them. Can I burn the Hornet in by playing music through it and not having headphones plugged in?

Well, headphones are also highly mechanical and subject to significant hysteresis, so it's reasonable to expect them to change over time as well. I've yet to see even a plausible account for why solid state amplifiers would be subject to hysteresis over the relatively small service life (relative to rated, stable performance of the components) they typically enjoy with their owners here. However, psychological acclimation still has an impact on the subjective experience, often in a positive fashion (e.g. the equipment's subjective performance improves as one acclimates).

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Filburt Well, headphones are also highly mechanical and subject to significant hysteresis, so it's reasonable to expect them to change over time as well. I've yet to see even a plausible account for why solid state amplifiers would be subject to hysteresis over the relatively small service life (relative to rated, stable performance of the components) they typically enjoy with their owners here. However, psychological acclimation still has an impact on the subjective experience, often in a positive fashion (e.g. the equipment's subjective performance improves as one acclimates).

Not sure if this falls under the umbrella of your discussion, but "burn in" does not always result in positive results, so that a blanket statement that psychological acclimation is a significant (if not pervasive) reason for "growing to like" the sound of a piece of equipment would seem to fail in at least some instances.

Speaking only from personal experience, I've tested a number of amps, with varying results. In some cases an initial sparkle and zip softened and faded; in other cases as big/round bass developed, the high frequencies softened and became significantly rolled off and ill-defined; one version had large Panasonic caps that started with great speed, punch and detail and reasonably good HF extension, but with increasing play time the sound stage got narrower, the sound generally "congested" and noisy, and it became more unpleasant until it reached a plateau and retained all the unpleasant characteristics -- basically failing in its application.

With some amps, especially with larger Black Gate caps, there have been "landmarks" as the sound developed, some of these points revealing sudden improvements in certain areas (low bass, sound stage width or depth...), and at some points the SQ seemed to deteriorate for a short while, until at one late point the highs became clean and clear, and accordingly spatiality, ambience retrieval/recreation, timbre, dimension, definition, etc., all improved significantly and stayed there.

I'm sure that brief changes in perception must be fairly common with changes in physical states, stress levels, etc., but finite, exacting and describable characteristics as relate to instruments and performers in recordings that can be heard and described in like fashion on repeated occasions with a "burned in" and well-enjoyed amp, for example, would not seem to be resulting from acclimatization. The same could be true for headphones as well as amps.

My experience with K701 falls into this discussion as well, since along the way to stabilizing, I heard all sorts of anomalies, interesting effects, and frequent disappointments relative to my expectations and to what I consider superior headphone performance. After I had almost given up on them, and another few dozen hours of intermittent play with only casual attention paid to them, the deficiencies that had discouraged me from listening to them cleared up. Specifically, imaging, position/placement of performers, timbre/shape/volume of instruments and voices, stable sound space dimensions and boundaries, stable LF reproduction - and some more that I can't recall in a hurry -- all improved noticeably. The 701s lost what I felt early on was a sort of "holographic-but-echoey" presentation.

This well-played pair of 701s seem to hold their focus and specificity of positioning of performers every time I check them, half-expecting them to devolve into the weird sound I heard until well past 300 hours. When my friend lent them to me he said he had logged about 270 hours, and expected "that should be enough". I did not log my play time with them carefully, but I'd guess 350+ hours marked the turning point for me, when I felt they had matured and stabilized.

I certainly agree with you that there may likely be many cases where pschological acclimation -- or perhaps other psychological factors -- will result in an end-user enjoying the sound after an extended period of listening, or at least of ownership -- just not all (or nearly all) the time.

Sorry for blabbing, but I wanted to related a bit of this before I finish my work and head home (yeow!!!).

Cheers.

 

[Andrea]

Romanee, you like to nitpick

If the Black Gates are really SO erratic in their performance, you should blame it on them, ain't it?

 

[GIGANTOID]

Just a point to remind you to keep the Hornets gain setting on LOW when using IEMs in particular with the UM2s since theyre so sensitive. I personally listen on the 1-2 notch mark.

Also when changing out the battery (if ever) you have to have the gain seeting in the middle to put the cover back on. MAKE SURE YOU RESET IT TO LOW. Otherwise your ears will bleed.

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrea Romanee, you like to nitpick If the Black Gates are really SO erratic in their performance, you should blame it on them, ain't it?

Yuh-Yuh! And how 'bout them Panasonics?

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GIGANTOID Just a point to remind you to keep the Hornets gain setting on LOW when using IEMs in particular with the UM2s since theyre so sensitive. I personally listen on the 1-2 notch mark. Also when changing out the battery (if ever) you have to have the gain seeting in the middle to put the cover back on. MAKE SURE YOU RESET IT TO LOW. Otherwise your ears will bleed.

Ditto! ...and after chatting with you about this, I found that on recordings made at high levels, I even have to drop it to 0.7 or lower!!!

 

[Andrea]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romanee Yuh-Yuh! And how 'bout them Panasonics?

You mean that overdone cap in the Hornet?

 

[volcomjerk]

I must say I'm not entirely impressed with this expensive portable. I've been listening to it for awhile and I don't think "burn in' will help.

I don't think I need to post a full out review but what can I say... it's not really making me happy. I've tried them out with my UM2 and ER4p and there's not much of a difference. If I spend $350 dollars there better be a big difference. I'd be willing to give it more burn in time but I don't work that way. I want to be able to plug it in and be happy right from the start.

I had a moment like that ONCE... it was when I plugged my Grado SR-60's into a Headroom Desktop amp. That nearly made me cry. I want to get close to that feeling again only with IEMs since I've sold all my home gear. I know a portable amp won't touch a Desktop/Home amp but I'm not expecting it to.

I'm going to try out a Pint if I can find one or a Go-Vibe 5 and see how that fairs. I'm not looking for the best SQ amp. I'm looking for the most fun "colored" "musical" amp you can find. No offense Ray but I think it's a little overpriced from what my ears can hear.

I'm pretty sure many of you are happy with it and that's fine but I think I'm looking for something different. If I spend $100 bucks and get it to sound like the Hornet or even better... THAT would make me happy. I know it can be done. Probably won't look as fancy or as "cute' as the Hornet but seriously, I'm listening to music, not staring at my gear.