Looking for a balanced amp need advice

[slypher]

Thanks for the input every one I was a little confused as I had never seen a mini3 outside potable case work. The internal shot of the balanced mini3 is using the same board but in larger case work to fit the balanced outputs.

 

[m1abrams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slypher /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the input every one I was a little confused as I had never seen a mini3 outside potable case work. The internal shot of the balanced mini3 is using the same board but in larger case work to fit the balanced outputs.

Well Rockhopper did make a balanced mini3, so not sure if you were in fact confused.
Rockhopper Audio

 

[3nity]

Try to see if this balanced amp can suit your needs.
It is in the $700/800 range.
Very clean.

 

[FallenAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3nity /img/forum/go_quote.gif Try to see if this balanced amp can suit your needs. It is in the $700/800 range. Very clean.

These two factors REALLY blow this thing out of the water:

Input impedance: 2.2K ohms
Load min. impedance: 200 ohms

First, you should have a source that can drive 2.2K impedance and your headphones have to be minimum 200R. That's a really nasty combo - to me that just reads that somebody was really sloppy in designing this thing.

 

[onlychild]

In the $700 to $800 range the Little Dot MK6 would be a better buy for headphones.

 

[grawk]

From my experience, in the $600 range, you'll be better served with a good single ended amp. There are many things to consider with your signal chain, the amp just being one of them. Balanced amps (especially inexpensive ones) need balanced sources. Most inexpensive balanced sources aren't differential designs, but instead use IC based balancing circuits that often sound worse than their single ended outputs. On top of this, most low end balanced amps don't sound as good as comparably priced single ended amps. If you've got a good balanced source, and headphones that are known to respond well to being balanced, you should really target $1500 or higher balanced amps. Below that, it's really just an academic exercise, rather than an actual improvement.

 

[apatN]

^ Interesting. Have you heard the LD MKVI or M3 balanced?

 

[grawk]

I had a balanced m3 until a couple of weeks ago. It was spectacular. And a lot more than $600

I'd recommend an m3 with a beefed up power supply instead of a balanced m3 if you're looking to spend less than $1000.

 

[morphsci]

I have heard quite a few balanced amps, including the LD (not a fan) and I will have to echo grawks suggestion. There is little advantage to going balanced (and that is being kind) if you are not willing or able to spend the money to purchase, build or have built a balanced amp with a proper (read large, in-charge and quiet) PSU and a true balanced source. Also do not forget about the cost of reterminating (if possible) or recabling your headphones.

You will end up with a higher quality SE system at the lower end of the price scale.

 

[apatN]

Well here is my situation. I have a fully balanced source and am able to build my own cables and recable my headphones. Please forget about the cost of cables.
For my next amp I am budgetting ~800$. There are some nice amps from the likes of Woo, Darkvoice, Little Dot and all sorts of solid state amps. The LD MKVI or balanced M3 looks perfect for my needs. Do you still think I am better of with a SE amp?

 

[grawk]

If you can find an m3 with a good power supply balanced for $800 do it. Just make sure you don't skimp on power supply.

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by apatN /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well here is my situation. I have a fully balanced source and am able to build my own cables and recable my headphones. Please forget about the cost of cables. For my next amp I am budgetting ~800$. There are some nice amps from the likes of Woo, Darkvoice, Little Dot and all sorts of solid state amps. The LD MKVI or balanced M3 looks perfect for my needs. Do you still think I am better of with a SE amp?

I think an $800 se amp is very likely better than an $800 balanced amp.

 

[apatN]

Thanks Kees. Anything you recommend for ~700€ shipped? I don't think I'll change my headphones that soon.

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Originally Posted by apatN /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks Kees. Anything you recommend for ~700€ shipped? I don't think I'll change my headphones that soon.

A Graham Slee Solo would be a worthy suspect.
Rudistor NX-03.
The Goldpoint Headphone Pro is even a bit better than that.
If you don't mind hybrid: X-CAN v8 is a bargain.
And I have a Corda Prehead MkII SE for sale.....

All of the above I find single ended better than the NX-33 in single ended mode. Just to give you some perspective of what the extra costs are to make a good amp balanced.
The NX-33 balanced I find better than those (HD650 being my reference phones: they benefit the most from driving balanced IMO).
But to make the picture complete: I find the HD650 single ended from the Earmax Pro as good as balanced from the NX-33 (although quite different).

I personally think balanced is good to push some phones the last extra bit from extremely good to superb. But first you have to find out where "extremely good" is before you can use "going balanced" to make them even better.

 

[apatN]

Thanks a lot Kees. Very interesting.
That Rudistor looks pretty nice and I guess I'll read into all of them. The whole idea of balanced has got me thinking that it must be better than SE however and it is hard to let go.

I understand from you (and other as well though) that balanced is not necessarily better but just different from SE. Often better yes, but in the end it are all different flavours.