Just Got Darkvoice 332

[Katysax]

My new Darkvoice 332 arrived this morning. My main source is my laptop with a Turtle Beach DAC. I've been running the output into my NAD 7175PE and out of that into a Lisa III, which I want to pull out of this and use as a portable.

The main headphones I've been using are an AKG K701 and occassionally Sennheiser HD580.

First I took the NAD out of the chain and ran the K701s out of the Darkvoice. I was disappointed. It didn't feel as if the amp had enough oomph to fully power the K701s and the sound felt lifeless and dry. My K701s probably only have about 40 hours on them so that might have something to do with it. Still, I had been going through the NAD with Bass EQ turned on and then added bass boost from the Lisa, without that extra boost I was wondering where the bass went to.

Then I put the NAD back into the chain. Voila, the 701s came to life again. In fact the sound was even clearer and there was a more contained feeling to the spaciousness of the 701s. Unfortunately on some recordings I was also hearing even better how bad my source is. Then I tried the Senn HD580s. These are not my favorite all time headphone. I find the Senns a little took dark and veiled under most conditions. Well the Darkvoice 332 really brought them to life. For the first time I'm seeing why Sennheisers are so popular.

I think this amp needs to be burnt in so I'll probably have a better sense of it in a few weeks. The dynamic range of the music seems a little more noticeable. I still like running the signal through the NAD first, even though it sort of runs against the canon that the fewer sources the better. Since I'm the one listening though I'm going to go with what sounds best to me.

I've got to say though the difference between the Lisa III and the Darkvoice is pretty subtle. I actually like the addition of the bass boost on the Lisa, especially for the k701s.

 

[Capunk]

So you're still using stock tubes? try change em...
And why you would use "Receiver" in between Laptop & Dac?
Shouldn't Lisa 3 accept USB?

So
Laptop -> LISA III -> DV 332 -> Headphone

 

[Capunk]

whoops my bad... LISA III is an amp, mistook with Monica II

 

[Penchum]

I would suggest at least a 200 hr burn-in for everything before evaluating. Too early and false impressions are guaranteed, and they are hard to shake loose!

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katysax /img/forum/go_quote.gif My new Darkvoice 332 arrived this morning. The main headphones I've been using are an AKG K701 and occassionally Sennheiser HD580... ...Then I put the NAD back into the chain. Voila, the 701s came to life again... ...Then I tried the Senn HD580s... ...Well the Darkvoice 332 really brought them to life. For the first time I'm seeing why Sennheisers are so popular...

Have a little patience.

With a good set up... and after it's burnt in... you'll be quite literally astonished at how great the HD600/580s sound (albeit a bit better with the HD600 mods, and the HD650, or Cardas cable).

I've learned from experience not to "give up" on the amp, or the Senns, before I found the right set up, and everything was properly burnt in.

I now understand perfectly, why so many folks regard the HD600/580s, and even the HD650s... as good as it gets, with any headphones available.

Truly spectacular! Hard to comprehend... really.

 

[Katysax]

>>And why you would use "Receiver" in between Laptop & Dac? <<

It doesn't make sense I know but I'm not getting enough volume or enough bass out of the system without the receiver in the middle.

I just took the receiver out of the chain. My volume problem was settings that I have in the computer - not the amp. I had the volume turned down in the DAC.

I'm not finding the bass too light in the Sennheiser 580s, but it is missing a bit in the K701s.

 

[TURBO]

My 332 is an electric plant. Imagine, the HD600 at 9 o'clock it sounds intolerable loud. Well, I never passed 9 o'clock with this amp. A comfortable volume is at 7 'clock.

First thing I did when I receive it, was to sand the stock tubes and send them to take a little alcohol 99 % bath (to take the grease out). The tube sockets also took the alcohol bath.

Today, I just received some Ukraine soviet tubes. It sounds more fun than ever.

 

[Katysax]

The AKG K701s are more power hungry than the Sennheiser HD580s. The Senns are very loud a 9:00, but the AKGs are just about "normal" volume at 9:00.

 

[chesebert]

K701 with DV332 is interesting, it can get really bad but it can also get insanely good..all depend on the ancillary equipments and their respective synergies.

To me K701 do not sound good at all (over sibilance on non-audiophile recordings) with all neutral equipments; so figuring out where and how to introduce coloration is difficult and challenging.

 

[Barry]

My experience with the K701s and the Darkvoice 332's is the same as Katysax's - the combo sounds lifeless to me. Better with a CDP compared to ipod, but still "eh". If there is some way to make this combo sing, I am "all ears" (pun intended - could not help myself...)

Thanks

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barry /img/forum/go_quote.gif My experience with the K701s and the Darkvoice 332's is the same as Katysax's - the combo sounds lifeless to me. Better with a CDP compared to ipod, but still "eh". If there is some way to make this combo sing, I am "all ears" (pun intended - could not help myself...) Thanks

1. CDP > $1k (in general)
2. after market power cable 332 ($250-500 range is usually good enough)
3. power conditioning for 332 (I prefer a dedicated circuit, but YMMV)
4. warm yet transparent interconnect
5. get better valves (I assume you have already ditched the Chinese valves)

Does your K701 disappear on your head and surround you in music? i.e. doesn't sound like the music is coming from your phone. Is your bass enough to shake your stomach? if not your ancillary equipment needs changing.

IMO I order the above 'actionable item' as 1 > 4 > 5 > 2 > 3 in term of their importance to me.

 

[Katysax]

I certainly didn't mean that I was experiencing the K701s as lifeless. I don't have a >1000 CDP (well I do but it isn't connected up and I don't use it because it doesn't work and the cheaper one I replaced it with sounded just as good so my ears must be deficient in some way).

The K701s seem to need more power than the HD580. As far as enjoyment, it depends a lot on the source and the music. For me, on classical music the K701 is transcendant - the sound is mostly glorious and the listening experience emotionally exciting. On other types of music ranging from jazz to various acoustic to some pop, the K701 is more of a mixed bag. I don't listen to much that qualifies as "rock" and I don't listen to rap or hip hop or most of those types of genres - a little bit, but very little.

I think it's too early for me to evaluate the Darkvoice 332. It's probably too early for me to evaluate the K701s also. The one thing I do notice though is that the amp is causing me to reevaluate the HD580s. I really didn't love them before. Now I sort of "get" them.

 

[Skylab]

If the DV332 is like either of the the DV amps I own, it will sound much better with an upgrade of the stock tubes.