[jeffri]

Thank you for your impressions ! Anything to report noisefloor-wise ?



It'll be interesting to have your take on the bass once you clock in more listening time.

Both 6BF7 and 6832 is bassier, but one is more linear while the latter is more punchy and impactful. I can hear the sub better in 6BF7, but it lost the punchiness fun of 6832.

@jeffri : do you mainly use the Cv5 with your Onkyo DP-CMX1 ? (Sorry if the answer is not too far back in the thread, I've got some catching up to do ^^)

Either to CMX1 or to CEntrace DACPortable. I'll have Topping D50 coming from Massdrop in January, so I guess that will be my setup going forward.

Is the 6BF7 a green version or gold version?
I remembered there were 2 versions on ALO.
Never have the chance to use it yet with CV5 or CDM.
Maybe, I will open them up and test them.
Still using GE 6021 all these time.

I have both green and gold. Honestly, I can't tell the difference and now, I don't even know which is which anymore (and the marker fade too).

 

[davidmolliere]

So... I did a pretty fun experiment with the CV5 and 6BF7... I stacked the WM1Z / CV5 with 6BF7 and the KSA1500 and the KSE1500 gave me something exceptional oh my this brings so much to the KSE which become much more organic sounding with astounding bass that EQ won’t get you. Sure, it’s double amping but man, this is something to behold...

 

[Whitigir]

So... I did a pretty fun experiment with the CV5 and 6BF7... I stacked the WM1Z / CV5 with 6BF7 and the KSA1500 and the KSE1500 gave me something exceptional oh my this brings so much to the KSE which become much more organic sounding with astounding bass that EQ won’t get you. Sure, it’s double amping but man, this is something to behold...

Seriously...people keep talking about double amping.. I really careless, just so long as it sounds good and well performed. Enjoy

 

[davidmolliere]

Seriously...people keep talking about double amping.. I really careless, just so long as it sounds good and well performed. Enjoy

Well said, anyway no other way to do some experimenting with an electrostat IEM
Although it’s not practical for any portable use I do enjoy it, a lot

 

[jonathane40]

So... I did a pretty fun experiment with the CV5 and 6BF7... I stacked the WM1Z / CV5 with 6BF7 and the KSA1500 and the KSE1500 gave me something exceptional oh my this brings so much to the KSE which become much more organic sounding with astounding bass that EQ won’t get you. Sure, it’s double amping but man, this is something to behold...

Cool! I have also been connecting the CV5 to a Sony DAP (zx300) and I think it pairs well. Are you using high or low gain on the 3.5mm output? Are you maxing the volume on the Walkman?

I asked ALI what they recommend and was told to use low gain with volume high.

I have been using it with Andromeda, EX1000, HD6xx, and HD58x. Si far they all sound great with this combo!

 

[davidmolliere]

Cool! I have also been connecting the CV5 to a Sony DAP (zx300) and I think it pairs well. Are you using high or low gain on the 3.5mm output? Are you maxing the volume on the Walkman? I asked ALO what they recommend and was told to use low gain with volume high.
I have been using it with Andromeda, EX1000, HD6xx, and HD58x. Si far they all sound great with this combo!

The general recommandation is to keep to low gain as much as you can, to avoid distorsion and noise. My own observations there is that it’s better to set the Sony to high gain and the ALO CV5 to low gain, Sony has a black and clean background and probably is better in high gain than most DAPs in low gain Doing the opposite sounds more forward and noisy to me.

Regarding volume I alway adjust on the Sony so that if possible the right volume is reached with the CV5 pot at 50% volume.

 

[meomap]

Hi,

Tried 1Z / CV5 / Utopia = surprising good.
Tested again with CDM = WOW. Details and airiness are super. I don't think I got the same details when I used dx200 LO with 2.5 mm balanced silver IC.

I think I will use this pairing as transportable from now on.
I still use ALO SS6 as my main desktop tube amp.

 

[CreditingKarma]

Has anyone else noticed that the volume pot does not work past about 75%. I get no increase in volume when it is turned past 75%.


So far I am loving the sound from the CV5.

 

[nurie]

Hey guys... I was wondering if there's anyone else who can confirm this for me?

My first CV5 stopped working properly after a week of use. I could no longer hear anything from the left side. I've checked everything and sent it back to ALO, they said the CV5 I got had some problems. Now they shipped me an entirely new unit. The first day it worked very well and then the very next day, no sound would come from the right side this time. (I didn't drop it. I wasn't charging it. I didn't open it up to change the tube. I was only using them with my Andro S...)

I e-mailed them and they asked me what my source was. I said iPhone 6.... and this is what they said :

"The iPhone could be problematic.

The Continental v5 - like most all amplifiers would like a line level inputs.

The iPhone is passing its signal through its internal amplification stage - thus your signal is amplified 2x.

This signal could be too strong from the Cv5 and frying the channel."

Surely I am not the only person who has used this with an iPhone?? Or any mobile phone for the matter?? I am just very confused at how an iPhone that wasn't even charging or anything is strong enough to fry the amplifier.. but I'm no expert but still, it's hard for me to believe. I saw someone talk about using their iPhone here and it doesn't seem like there're any problems? If anyone could confirm I would be seriously grateful. I am kind of stressed about this as this is the 2nd time something has gone wrong and I had a feeling that in some way - I will get faulted for this somehow or another. Which is exactly what is happening right now...

Besides.. I don't understand why it would work for a week for the first one I received (and was sent back) if it fries the CV5 and this one doesn't work the very next day...

 

[jeffri]

That is a very odd case. I'm not an engineer, but I have been feeding CV5 from my Onkyo Granbeat (lineout or not), which I think is more powerful than the iPhone 6. Even Mojo with their 3v lineout is fine.

 

[nurie]

That is a very odd case. I'm not an engineer, but I have been feeding CV5 from my Onkyo Granbeat (lineout or not), which I think is more powerful than the iPhone 6. Even Mojo with their 3v lineout is fine.

Yes, I'm not sure what's going on.. however, I did try opening it as I was wondering if maybe changing the tube might help (can't hurt to try anyway), but unfortunately - some thing was loose.. at first I thought it might be the battery or something but there seems to be some stuff that came off? I don't know what these are though. I don't know if they're important, but it's definitely not a great thing to see something coming off from the chipboard. (And no, I didn't drop it or did this myself, there was already some rattling before I even took the chipboard out)

I hope they can help me, honestly this is starting to stress me out. I understand their side too since this is the 2nd time it has happened. Getting/Having another problem is even more unlikely seeing as I haven't seen anyone else with issues even from the first unit everyone's received. ): I may have been really unlucky...

 

[jeffri]

Wow, that's really bad. IDK if you would void your warranty if you have opened it or not, but best to keep contact with them. That definitely not normal.

 

[meomap]

Yes, I'm not sure what's going on.. however, I did try opening it as I was wondering if maybe changing the tube might help (can't hurt to try anyway), but unfortunately - some thing was loose.. at first I thought it might be the battery or something but there seems to be some stuff that came off? I don't know what these are though. I don't know if they're important, but it's definitely not a great thing to see something coming off from the chipboard. (And no, I didn't drop it or did this myself, there was already some rattling before I even took the chipboard out)

I hope they can help me, honestly this is starting to stress me out. I understand their side too since this is the 2nd time it has happened. Getting/Having another problem is even more unlikely seeing as I haven't seen anyone else with issues even from the first unit everyone's received. ): I may have been really unlucky...

These two small items are not belonging in there.
That's why the unit shorted?

 

[nurie]

Wow, that's really bad. IDK if you would void your warranty if you have opened it or not, but best to keep contact with them. That definitely not normal.

I think it might be okay, JD didn't seem to have mentioned that it'd void the warranty. I was told to send this back. They will either repair or replace it. In any case, hopefully the 3rd time's the charm. I really don't want any more issues as it's not just me, I don't want to bother them for the 3rd time either.

These two small items are not belonging in there.
That's why the unit shorted?

Maybe. I was told that these pieces were for the input jack and it may be the cause of the problem I'm experiencing.

 

[jhog]

Quick question - I own and love the Continental V2, but have been contemplating upgrading to the v5 for something more truly portable, and also for lower noise for low impedance iems and cans. I wanted to ask anyone who's experienced both whether there's a substantial improvement in sq between the v2 and v5?

Any thoughts gratefully received!