As stated before, maybe on HMS thread received TT2 this week together with HMS. Spent a little time with TT2 and found it to be a little disappointing compared to what I had expected in terms of my H2. I then connected the HMS, blown away, love it.
At the risk of making Paul throw up, I have to say that I too find the HMS effect very subtle. For me, there is absolutely nothing “in your face” about it. I can tell you that I find this really disappointing and frustrating! The TT2 sounds great with my LCD-4s but in all honesty I could easily live without HMS. I don’t know, could it be that there’s something wrong with mine, or is it just my getting-on-a-bit ears that are past their prime? I’m not sure how to find out....
No balance control; you used to need balance because the volume controls were always out of balance, so it was needed to correct for that. Digital volume has identical gain, so balance is no longer needed. Or is there a particular reason why you need a balance?
If TT2 is indicating 705 or 768 then its fine - it's actually impossible for it not to work correctly. Make sure you have not set video mode on...
There have been one or two occasions when M scaler is not a huge difference in SQ - when I have used it with not very transparent amps and speakers. But this won't apply at all with TT2 driving the LCD-4s. I would relax and listen to music for a week, so your brain can get used to the different way that music is reproduced. Then try running it for a day with the M scaler in pass thru mode only... Then I am sure you will appreciate it fully.
I've had my TT2 for over a month now and the M-Scaler since early November. In that time I went from using a Focal Clear, and got myself the Utopia. My impressions are the opposite to aldavey
1. Through the Clear, the TT2 in terms of SQ was leaps and bounds an improvement over my Schiit Gungnir MB / Jot stack; I actually haven't heard anything like it, being my first Chord product - it was just so fast, accurate, organic and natural sounding, tonally rich with incredible bass reproduction - very good paired with my Clear and also my HD650. I definitely liked it more than the iFi Pro iDSD / pro iCAN combo.
2. When I got my M-scaler, initially, I did not seem to hear that much of an "in your face" or "blown away" change to the SQ even when A/Bing; a little smoother, a little refined, bass was better yes, but whatever, I left it on full 1M taps from then on.
3. I got my Focal Utopias only a week ago, and have been goggling like a toddler staring at ice cream every time I hear it. The Chord stack was able to drive the Utopias like they SHOULD BE DRIVEN. This is a device that will give Beryllium a work out in whatever you listened to. From Above and Beyond, to Dream Theatre (Black Clouds & Silver Linings), to the Nat Bartsh Trio (Springs, For All The Winters), Burn the Witch by Radiohead, female vocals (The Corrs or Dido for example) and even all my Rap and R&B were all phenomenal.
4. A couple of days ago I decided to whack the M-Scaler into pass-through, my reaction was "what the *quack* "... I realise how well the M-Scaler tightens up the transient accuracy of the music and when you've got Utopias you can hear it.
Robs right, it does take a while to adjust to, but for the price of the M-Scaler I would prioritise a really really good headphone.
EDIT: By the way, I am quite young, @ 27 so I would like to think I don't have old ears.
I dont see any real life pictures of it.
