[UntilThen]

Yeah can't wait for my LF hope the border opens soon

Let us know how your new Bifrost is compared to CMA12

Should be soon before you get your LF339. and that is a very good unit.

I'd expect Bifrost2 to be much better than the dac in CMA 12. Anyway the Questyle has left my home. I'm using a (sob) Topping D10 with LF339i now while waiting for Bifrost2 and my Yggdrasil.

So tonight I dismantle all the other amps and move them back to the room, leaving just LF339i here for my listening pleasure.

Of the 5 amps, I've eliminated Mjolnir 2 from the contest. The others are better in my opinion.

The best 4 imo are 1)LF339i 2) tie between Wa22 and v280 3)CMA 12. This was confirmed by my friend who came to buy my Questyle CMA 12. As an all in one, the CMA 12 is superb and it is almost to the level of Wa22 and v280.

Wa22 is the warmest and most organic and softer. LF339i has spitfire in it's engine. There's a force in the tight organic tone. v280 is pretty classy. Tight, slight warmth, euphonic and engaging. It is the best sounding solid state in my collection imo.

My friend wanted to buy my LF339i on the spot but there is no way I will sell it even if more money is offered to me. So it turn out that out of these 5 amps, I love LF339i the most. That does say something because this is an esteemed group. The others are very close but if there is just one amp that I can have, I'd choose the La Figaro 339i. The quest to find a better amp than LF339i (to my ears) has already started.... not sure when I will find it and it has to be within my means but I'm in no hurry. I need to enjoy the remaining amps for a bit more before totally changing it.

 

[xtiva]

Should be soon before you get your LF339. and that is a very good unit.

I'd expect Bifrost2 to be much better than the dac in CMA 12. Anyway the Questyle has left my home. I'm using a (sob) Topping D10 with LF339i now while waiting for Bifrost2 and my Yggdrasil.

So tonight I dismantle all the other amps and move them back to the room, leaving just LF339i here for my listening pleasure.

Of the 5 amps, I've eliminated Mjolnir 2 from the contest. The others are better in my opinion.

The best 4 imo are 1)LF339i 2) tie between Wa22 and v280 3)CMA 12. This was confirmed by my friend who came to buy my Questyle CMA 12. As an all in one, the CMA 12 is superb and it is almost to the level of Wa22 and v280.

Wa22 is the warmest and most organic and softer. LF339i has spitfire in it's engine. There's a force in the tight organic tone. v280 is pretty classy. Tight, slight warmth, euphonic and engaging. It is the best sounding solid state in my collection imo.

My friend wanted to buy my LF339i on the spot but there is no way I will sell it even if more money is offered to me. So it turn out that out of these 5 amps, I love LF339i the most. That does say something because this is an esteemed group. The others are very close but if there is just one amp that I can have, I'd choose the La Figaro 339i. The quest to find a better amp than LF339i (to my ears) has already started.... not sure when I will find it and it has to be within my means but I'm in no hurry. I need to enjoy the remaining amps for a bit more before totally changing it.

Oh great thear tjat u love LF399i over WA22... hope 339 is as good as 339i

Knew you won't keep MJ2 for too long it was my lucky day I guess

Thanks.

 

[UntilThen]

Oh great thear tjat u love LF399i over WA22... hope 339 is as good as 339i

Knew you won't keep MJ2 for too long it was my lucky day I guess

Thanks.

Don't you worry, LF339 is equal to the LF339i - at least from memory. I might keep MJ2 for a while. I need to hear it with Yggy or Bifrost2. It might change my mind after all it's nice Schiit gear. No jokes here.

 

[telecaster]

VISHAY BC caps, rectifier
output coupling SCR film caps 270uF per channel, total 540uF
With 300 ohms headphones the response is 0db @20Hz, and -3db @2Hz
Caddock resistors

There are a couple of metal film resitor I still wanna switch though. And the Cathode resistor I wanna experiment with.

Interesting the CRCRC CRC changing to CRCRCRCRC filtering!
I am curious to try that.

I tried the battery bias, but in the end I switch back to the original bias wiring because I was not comfortable having a battery in there, mine is running hot.

 

[Galapac]

LF339i as preamp out to v280 is a great tone. So much more body and heave now. Still details galore. I'm strictly using He1000se as my headphone now. I can't believe LF339i handles preamp duties so well.

Next I'll use LF339i as preamp to SMSL SP200. This is similar to @adeadcrab and @hp4fun using LF339i as preamp out to THX 789. So let's see....

Welcome to the 339i club. Now you know what we have been saying all along about the preamp out capability.

 

[Galapac]

Sigh CMA 12 sold. Now I have to use Topping D10 with LF339i until Bifrost2 arrives 3 days later.

That fast? One hour? Did you post on here?

 

[telecaster]

You know what you are describing?....the ZMF Closed Verite...it has the bling, the leather, the metal, the wood!
But may cost too much in import taxes.

I just received my pair and am breaking them in but first impressions are WOW! I didn't know a closed headphone could sound this good. Great bass extension, warmth without being overbearing, mids that are unmatched and airy highs, it's all there. The soundstage is more intimate than my HD820 but the VC has this holohgraphic quality it imparts on the music, a truly great headphone. Zach is a master of audio engineering.

Galapac, thanks for the suggestion, and I hope I can try the ZMF one day! They absolutely look like what I was saying, they look so gorgeous! I see that it compares favourably to the HD820? ^^
Looking good! If only I can try it!

 

[Galapac]

Sigh CMA 12 sold. Now I have to use Topping D10 with LF339i until Bifrost2 arrives 3 days later.

Oh I see, you sold it locally. Congrats but always sad when you let hardware go. More funds for other gear though.

 

[UntilThen]

That fast? One hour? Did you post on here?

Nope didn't even advertise. My friend when he heard that I was going to sell, snap it up faster than lightning. When he came to place to pick it up, he listen using Hekse through the LF339i and he wanted to buy the LF339i also !!! but I said 'One million bucks' and that kind of stop him.

I pick up a 4 months old black Bifrost2 for a very good price though. That's why I was ready to let the CMA 12 go ....I will miss the Questyle sound... but I have Le Figaro

 

[UntilThen]

VISHAY BC caps, rectifier
output coupling SCR film caps 270uF per channel, total 540uF
With 300 ohms headphones the response is 0db @20Hz, and -3db @2Hz
Caddock resistors

Stunning picture there and great work. Your LF339 must sound special. I still haven't open up mine. Too busy enjoying music with it.

Oh I see, you sold it locally. Congrats but always sad when you let hardware go. More funds for other gear though.

You have no idea how many of my favourite gear I've let go and I do regret losing some of those... like the Primaluna Dialogue Premium HP, Glenn OTL and ALO Audio Studio Six, the last 2 I also let them go with a bunch of good tubes. Fetch some good money but I had collected those tubes with such care and some are very hard to obtain now.

However I have such signon names - UntilThen here on Head-Fi and Odyssey on my local forum, that it's fitting that I carry on with my audio journey. After 5 years I'm still excited with a gear purchase even if it's just a Bifrost2 or a Mjolnir 2.

The next purchase will hurt. LCD-4, HPA4, Mogwai Se or Auris Nirvana. That's going to take time or I might just go for a custom amp and Tomas of Ultrasonic Studio is doing some wonderful works now with Infinity and Eternity.

 

[UntilThen]

Welcome to the 339i club. Now you know what we have been saying all along about the preamp out capability.

As much as I'm wowed by the preamp capability of LF339i, I'll be using it solely as a headphone amp because the tone is just so lovely. All my well heeled audio enthusiast friends fall in love with LF339i despite having Cayin HA300, Mogwai Se, Auris Nirvana even ! They agree that the La Figaro 339i sound amazing for it's price.... until I tell them the price of my tubes now. Definitely buying back all my GEC 6as7g, GEC U52 tubes for US$1200. Priceless tubes !

 

[UntilThen]

Galapac, thanks for the suggestion, and I hope I can try the ZMF one day! They absolutely look like what I was saying, they look so gorgeous! I see that it compares favourably to the HD820? ^^
Looking good! If only I can try it!

If you love your HD800 and HD650, ZMF Verite Open or Close will knock them out of the park. I just sold off Verite Open LTD in Pheasant wood - another sale I'll regret but I intend to get another later - just waiting for the right wood. An Australian exotic wood.

There my previous Verite Open and my LF339 going to @xtiva soon. That LF339 is as good as new and so lovely sounding.

 

[hp4fun]

Do I need an adapter for L63? How does it sound? Haven't seen too much review about it but seems nice.

 

[UntilThen]

Do I need an adapter for L63? How does it sound? Haven't seen too much review about it but seems nice.

I don't think our version of LF339i can use the L63 even with an adapter without some customisation of the amp. @telecaster actually modified our version of LF339 to run with L63 and 6F5 drivers. Now he has to create special adapters just to run 6SJ7 and EF86 on it ! He's going backwards lol.

 

[hp4fun]

While you guys talking about thousands of $ updates and rotations, let me humbly present my poor man's fix of a cheap tube.

$1 steel hose clamp to fix a cheap $5 6sj7gt that has a broken ring and loose pins.

"This is without doubt the sloppiest fix I have ever seen"
"But it works"