[ClieOS]

When compared to AD8620, OPA2227 gives slightly better width but it totally loses in depth, layering and transparency. Unless you only like your soundstage from side to side but not from near to far, I'll say AD8620 is hands down much better in soundstage.

 

[zeitfliesst]

Ah I see. Thanks for your input. The headfonia review is really throwing everyone off including me. I think I've made up 75% of my mind to get the 8620. Will have to think a bit further.
Quote:

Better soundstage with the 2227? From what I've read it seems that the 8620's soundstage is better, probably because of the treble. From personal use the 8620 widens up the UM3X's deliberately small soundstage slightly, and it improves the instrument separation to godlike levels. 
 
I think the opamp differences are extremely subtle. Even the most minuscule differences are amplified (no pun intended) by us audiophiles... On the UM3X there is a slight treble increase due to the opamp, but nothing like EQing from my iPod.

 

[zeitfliesst]

Thanks for your opinion. I've seen that you do prefer the 8620 over the 2227, and so does a lot of other head-fiers. Now I think I'm 85% set on getting the 8620 

 
Quote:

When compared to AD8620, OPA2227 gives slightly better width but it totally loses in depth, layering and transparency. Unless you only like your soundstage from side to side but not from near to far, I'll say AD8620 is hands down much better in soundstage.

 

[808Ronin]

Quote:

I think it depends on what sound signature you want. Do you want to retain/increase the ES5's warm sound signature, or would you like to brighten up the highs? For me, I decided to go with the more neutral, slightly v-shaped 8620 over the warmer 2227 for the UM3X to make it more lively in the treble department.

 
Quote:

Better soundstage with the 2227? From what I've read it seems that the 8620's soundstage is better, probably because of the treble. From personal use the 8620 widens up the UM3X's deliberately small soundstage slightly, and it improves the instrument separation to godlike levels. 
 
I think the opamp differences are extremely subtle. Even the most minuscule differences are amplified (no pun intended) by us audiophiles... On the UM3X there is a slight treble increase due to the opamp, but nothing like EQing from my iPod.

I couldnt agree more. I have both UM3X as well as W3 The c421 with 8620 has been the perfect amp for all the reasons you have stated. It really has improved areas of these iem and elevated them. I also used the cmoybb with the 2227 prior to the c421 and while i did like it and the sound was great, the c421 took the sound to a new level.

 

[zeitfliesst]

OK, that's it. I'm going with the 8620 now 100%

. The ES5 has better highs than the um3x, but I still feel it's behind the UE11 so I guess brightening it up would be a good choice. 
 
Quote:

 
I couldnt agree more. I have both UM3X as well as W3 The c421 with 8620 has been the perfect amp for all the reasons you have stated. It really has improved areas of these iem and elevated them. I also used the cmoybb with the 2227 prior to the c421 and while i did like it and the sound was great, the c421 took the sound to a new level.

 

[drakeforte]

Is the c421 really better than the cmoybb?  I rolled an AD8620 on my cmoybb and that make a big difference with the cmoybb.  The bass is now punchier and thicker when bass boost is on but not muddy unlike the OPA2227.
 
What sort of improvements will I get from the AD8620 cmoybb to the c421 with AD8620?  
 
My HP are hd595 and grado sr225i and I especially like the HD595 with the cmoybb AD8620.  The grado pairing sounded good too, as I am not affected with the brightness that others seem to get with the AD8620.  Although, the mids are thinner on the AD8620 than on the OPA2227.
 
Also, with the cmoybb on OPA2227, the sound was so slow and laid back that it made the lively grado boring to listen to that I ended up using the HPs straight to the zune hd.  
 
Do you still get that slow and laid back/amost boring sound with the C421 OPA2227 combo. Or does the C421's design brought out the best out of the OPA2227?
 
I am on the fence whether I want the OPA2227 or the AD8620 on the c421.
 
Thanks.

 

[zeitfliesst]

Well, I had a reason to be hesitant since I've never had experience with these op-amps (or any rollable op-amps for that matter), but if you heard both the 2227 and the 8620 and you liked the latter better, it's pretty clear that you should go with the 8620. This is what JDS recommends: "Choose AD8620 if you've heard the chip before, or if you certainly prefer an analytical sound signature over the "warmer" characteristic output of the OPA2227."
 
The real question you should be asking is how much of an improvement you will gain by going from cmoy to c421. The headfonia review was pretty clear about the improvement though.
Quote:

Is the c421 really better than the cmoybb?  I rolled an AD8620 on my cmoybb and that make a big difference with the cmoybb.  The bass is now punchier and thicker when bass boost is on but not muddy unlike the OPA2227.
 
What sort of improvements will I get from the AD8620 cmoybb to the c421 with AD8620?  
 
My HP are hd595 and grado sr225i and I especially like the HD595 with the cmoybb AD8620.  The grado pairing sounded good too, as I am not affected with the brightness that others seem to get with the AD8620.  Although, the mids are thinner on the AD8620 than on the OPA2227.
 
Also, with the cmoybb on OPA2227, the sound was so slow and laid back that it made the lively grado boring to listen to that I ended up using the HPs straight to the zune hd.  
 
Do you still get that slow and laid back/amost boring sound with the C421 OPA2227 combo. Or does the C421's design brought out the best out of the OPA2227?
 
I am on the fence whether I want the OPA2227 or the AD8620 on the c421.
 
Thanks.

 

[gelocks]

I had JDSLabs CmoyBB before buying their c421... lemme just say, c421 wipes the floor with the Cmoy in terms of... EVERYTHING! More power, better soundstage, great deal of details and versatile (love that it is USB also.).

 

[808Ronin]

I initially chose the c421 for its sleeker profile to match with my ipod classic. I also was very confident that it would be an improvement over the cmoybb strictly based on the positive comments of other people on here that have dealt with JDS labs and John Seaber.  He does come across in his posts as a guy who has a wealth of knowledge as well as someone that charges a fair price and dosent mark up his products strictly based on the hype or because he can. Recently i contacted him regarding a defective face plate where some of the print was fading and i had a weird film that i couldnt get off. I explained it to him and he sent me a new one, no problem, no charge. I am pleased i chose JDS i just hope as they grow things stay the same as far as quality and customer service.

 

[drakeforte]

Thanks for the feedback. Am now gearing towards pulling the trigger on the c421 ad8620. I returned a asgard recently because i did not like the sound signature i was getting. I want more thickness and fullness - basically more bass and c421 will fit the bill. And based on this i really am not a audiophille but rather somebody who just wants to enjoy the music the way i want it to sound like. Will post my findings and maybe compare the cmoybb and c421 and asgard from memory since i dont have it anymore.

 

[Mauricio]

Quote:

 
 Even the most minuscule differences are amplified (no pun intended) by us audiophiles... 

 
Ain't that the truth!.  Witness on this here thread alone the hyperbolic flights of fancy and imagination.  With not an iota of care to account for the influences in perceptions due to the signal, listening level and the headphone involved.  And they speak with stone cold certainty.  How laughable these threads can be.

 

[BrainFood]

I know very little about portable audio, so excuse the potentially dumb question. 
 
With my samsung phone (no pure line out), I'd have to turn its volume up to max, which would effectively mean that the signal would be going through two stages of amplification (the samsung's and C421's). That wouldn't be the end of the world by any means, but not exactly ideal either.
 
Which devices/ players out there that have a pure line out?

 

[Matt head 777]

LOD cable with iphone is like line out.
 

 

[BrainFood]

Quote:

LOD cable with iphone is like line out.
 

Thanks
 
Any non-apple suggestions?

 

[Raines]

I have the cmoy and the 2227 c-421...
 
 
I can only say that now the cmoy sounds "mudy".... i havent touched it since i have the c-421.
 
 
One question... is best to put the gain in HIGH or LOW? for the same volume it seems the HIGH has better SQ