[Ahmad313]

Hey all. Loving my A4s, which I tend to use hooked up to Martin's HVA. Tone and mids are lovely, and bass is usually really good. However for some of my electronic music the bottom end sometimes feels a little, well, polite.

Having a good look at the Vorzuge Duo amp (original, can't afford the new) for its bass boost. Has anyone tried this combo and could advise whether it's a winner or if the Duo bass boost is too much for the A4s.

Alternatively any advice for another portable amp with hard eq-ing options, for bass and maybe treble?

What is your favourite combination ,?

 

[TimeSnow]

Its an impossible question to answer - the A4 has tuning options, and HD600/650 don't. The HD600/650 also have to account for your pinnae, and reflections within the cup. The A4 doesn't. And both 600/650 are open - which allows cross-talk, the A4 doesn't.

In terms of overall tonality, the A4 has more sub-bass presence than both HD600 and 650, and the bass bump is more 60 Hz centered than the HD600/650's 10-200 Hz. The Senns have less mid-range recession, the A4 has a little earlier upper mid-range emphasis, and more extension and presence in the lower treble.

Where I find the HD600 very natural sounding - the A4 is more vivid or coloured (black/pink or black/grey)

Or course you can change the filters and get a lot of differences - so thats why its so hard to compare.

Thanks for this ^^

I think I'll probably have to look elsewhere.

 

[Ahmad313]

Thanks for this ^^

I think I'll probably have to look elsewhere.

You can also check the Sennheiser's new model the IE80 S , price is $350.

 

[TimeSnow]

You can also check the Sennheiser's new model the IE80 S , price is $350.

Thanks.

I saw that but also saw they were themselves comparing it to a cheapish set of Sennheiser cans. Kinda put me off.

I may either just have to keep lugging my full size around while I save up for something more useful to me, or... Just keep using full size cans and but the LZ A4 for fun. Of course then I have to decide if I can write it off for work.

 

[Indigo Bob]

Hey all. Loving my A4s, which I tend to use hooked up to Martin's HVA. Tone and mids are lovely, and bass is usually really good. However for some of my electronic music the bottom end sometimes feels a little, well, polite.

Having a good look at the Vorzuge Duo amp (original, can't afford the new) for its bass boost. Has anyone tried this combo and could advise whether it's a winner or if the Duo bass boost is too much for the A4s.

Alternatively any advice for another portable amp with hard eq-ing options, for bass and maybe treble?

I had a Martin HVA for a while with my A4's and I do agree that it was a little bass polite and focused a little more on the sparkle. I used the A4 later with an Alo Audio Rx that did the trick and then some. The only problem with that is it's only an Amp and there are other DAC/AMP's that I have heard compete well at that price range.

 

[Brooko]

Hey all. Loving my A4s, which I tend to use hooked up to Martin's HVA. Tone and mids are lovely, and bass is usually really good. However for some of my electronic music the bottom end sometimes feels a little, well, polite.

Having a good look at the Vorzuge Duo amp (original, can't afford the new) for its bass boost. Has anyone tried this combo and could advise whether it's a winner or if the Duo bass boost is too much for the A4s.

Alternatively any advice for another portable amp with hard eq-ing options, for bass and maybe treble?

Thats actually a really easy one (especially for portable). FiiO E17K. It has tone controls. My review has frequency response curves so you can see how versatile it is.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...eadphone-amplifier.20540/reviews#review-15014

Wrote the review almost 2 years ago and its still one of my favourite portable amps.

 

[jhog]

I had a Martin HVA for a while with my A4's and I do agree that it was a little bass polite and focused a little more on the sparkle. I used the A4 later with an Alo Audio Rx that did the trick and then some. The only problem with that is it's only an Amp and there are other DAC/AMP's that I have heard compete well at that price range.

I've been quite interested in the RX III and only need an amp, but it is quite pricey for such a simple piece of kit.

On a slight aside, whilst a bit bored last night I decided to do a bit of experimenting, and hooked up the HVA as a sort of pre-amp, running it through an old C&C BH2 I have knocking about. Good golly, it is something else! All the buttery richness of the HVA, given a kick up the posterior. Totally ridiculous stacking, looks absurd, barely fits in a pocket but sounds sublime with the A4s!

It's obviously not a long term option but it will put a smile on the face until I can scramble money for a new amp and choose which way to go...

What did you do with your HVA, sell it??

 

[jhog]

Thats actually a really easy one (especially for portable). FiiO E17K. It has tone controls. My review has frequency response curves so you can see how versatile it is.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fi...eadphone-amplifier.20540/reviews#review-15014

Wrote the review almost 2 years ago and its still one of my favourite portable amps.

Thanks Brooko, it's great to hear of tech that actually holds its own rather than being superseded all the time.

Do you still use your HVA much?

 

[Brooko]

I use it every now and again - but mostly I go amp less where I can - less bulk

 

[Indigo Bob]

I've been quite interested in the RX III and only need an amp, but it is quite pricey for such a simple piece of kit.

On a slight aside, whilst a bit bored last night I decided to do a bit of experimenting, and hooked up the HVA as a sort of pre-amp, running it through an old C&C BH2 I have knocking about. Good golly, it is something else! All the buttery richness of the HVA, given a kick up the posterior. Totally ridiculous stacking, looks absurd, barely fits in a pocket but sounds sublime with the A4s!

It's obviously not a long term option but it will put a smile on the face until I can scramble money for a new amp and choose which way to go...

What did you do with your HVA, sell it??

The HVA is a very good deal for the having tube sound IMO. But I returned mine since it became so temperamental with ringing that it wouldn't stop ringing.

 

[TimeSnow]

I bit the bullet... I got a bit of a tip from my last client and so said feck it.

I hope I love them.... fingers x'd!

 

[TimeSnow]

Say, which spiral dots and which spinfit sizes work with these? Anyone know? I bought some spin fits and they were absolutely tiny! Whoops.

 

[crabdog]

Say, which spiral dots and which spinfit sizes work with these? Anyone know? I bought some spin fits and they were absolutely tiny! Whoops.

All Spiral Dots and Spinfit sizes should work as far as fitting on the nozzle goes as it's a standard size. As for the tip size...well that all depends on your ear anatomy. I haven't tried Spiral Dots but with the Spinfits I can use the large size but only with a couple of IEMs (MEMT X5 is one of them). With most IEMs though the large Spinfits are too small for my ears.

 

[toanaldino]

Say, which spiral dots and which spinfit sizes work with these? Anyone know? I bought some spin fits and they were absolutely tiny! Whoops.

I ordered the Spinfit CP100. hopefully they will fit.

 

[TimeSnow]

All Spiral Dots and Spinfit sizes should work as far as fitting on the nozzle goes as it's a standard size. As for the tip size...well that all depends on your ear anatomy. I haven't tried Spiral Dots but with the Spinfits I can use the large size but only with a couple of IEMs (MEMT X5 is one of them). With most IEMs though the large Spinfits are too small for my ears.

The spinfits I have don't fit on any of the KZ earphones I have...is the Lz a different size to the KZ ZST, etc.?

Thanks!!