parbaked
Headphoneus Supremus
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Dr. P includes schematics with manual: https://hollowstate.netfirms.com/manuals/HDSuper2usersmanual.pdf
MAD Ear+ Purist HD thread.
Dr. P includes schematics with manual: https://hollowstate.netfirms.com/manuals/HDSuper2usersmanual.pdf
whirlwind
Headphoneus Supremus
Yep....got the instructions , manual and schematic for mine.
it says mine even has the auricap and blackgate signal capacitors, and hexfred ultra high speed rectifier diodes
Armaegis
Modern Modder Man of Manitoba
HTML... uphill, both ways!
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They were normal price back in 1985 though (or was it '55?
)
LCfiner
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 1, 2009
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I bought a used MAD Ear+ last week and received it on Thursday. I’ve been using it a lot with my RS1is and thought I’d pop in with some impressions.
This is an older model with only one headphone output. My DAC is the Emotiva DC-1 and I have some brief comparisons with the headphone amp built into that unit. I am using stock tubes in the Ear+
The things that stuck out for me:
The mid bass on the Ear+ is slightly more rounded and a little heavier than the DC-1 headphone output. so there’s a bit more weight to cellos, bass guitars, etc. I don’t really notice a difference in bass kick, though. Depending on one’s viewpoint, you could call the DC-1 output thinner or simply more flat. I know that with the RS1i, I prefer the sound down low with the Ear+. I can’t notice a difference in detail down here, though.
The highs are less piercing on the Ear+. They’re not quieter, exactly, but that edginess of the RS1i is softened on the Ear+. It’s still aggressive but hotly mastered tracks are worse, to my ear, on the DC-1.
The kicker -and what makes me appreciate the Ear+ - is that I notice is greater clarity and three dimensionality with the Ear+. For example, I was listening to a song with a lot of crashing, rolling cymbals and the difference between the two headlamps was that, on the DC-1, they sounded papery and slightly one-note. All I heard was the high frequency tizzing. But on the Ear+, it was possible to hear some more subtle, lower frequency notes underneath the crashing, giving the cymbals more body and dimensionality.
I’m not saying I hear the same thing across all frequencies - my ears and source material may not be good enough - but for any vocals and instruments with a lot of HF information, I found the Ear+ presented them with more realism as I could hear more subtle notes under them. And this, in turn, makes entire tracks sound more lifelike and a little better imaging.
For my ears and my brain, it’s not a night and day difference. Some other people might say it is since standards are different for everyone. But I do think the Ear+ is better than the DC-1 headphone out and it really does gel quite nicely with the RS1i’s natural sound.
I’m glad I have the Ear+ and RS1i combo. It makes the RS1i sound about as good as I’ve heard it - I’ve had one in the past and used it with a variety of amps so the DC-1 isn’t my sole reference point - and I’m looking forward to buying a few tubes to replace the main Sovtek.
This is an older model with only one headphone output. My DAC is the Emotiva DC-1 and I have some brief comparisons with the headphone amp built into that unit. I am using stock tubes in the Ear+
The things that stuck out for me:
The mid bass on the Ear+ is slightly more rounded and a little heavier than the DC-1 headphone output. so there’s a bit more weight to cellos, bass guitars, etc. I don’t really notice a difference in bass kick, though. Depending on one’s viewpoint, you could call the DC-1 output thinner or simply more flat. I know that with the RS1i, I prefer the sound down low with the Ear+. I can’t notice a difference in detail down here, though.
The highs are less piercing on the Ear+. They’re not quieter, exactly, but that edginess of the RS1i is softened on the Ear+. It’s still aggressive but hotly mastered tracks are worse, to my ear, on the DC-1.
The kicker -and what makes me appreciate the Ear+ - is that I notice is greater clarity and three dimensionality with the Ear+. For example, I was listening to a song with a lot of crashing, rolling cymbals and the difference between the two headlamps was that, on the DC-1, they sounded papery and slightly one-note. All I heard was the high frequency tizzing. But on the Ear+, it was possible to hear some more subtle, lower frequency notes underneath the crashing, giving the cymbals more body and dimensionality.
I’m not saying I hear the same thing across all frequencies - my ears and source material may not be good enough - but for any vocals and instruments with a lot of HF information, I found the Ear+ presented them with more realism as I could hear more subtle notes under them. And this, in turn, makes entire tracks sound more lifelike and a little better imaging.
For my ears and my brain, it’s not a night and day difference. Some other people might say it is since standards are different for everyone. But I do think the Ear+ is better than the DC-1 headphone out and it really does gel quite nicely with the RS1i’s natural sound.
I’m glad I have the Ear+ and RS1i combo. It makes the RS1i sound about as good as I’ve heard it - I’ve had one in the past and used it with a variety of amps so the DC-1 isn’t my sole reference point - and I’m looking forward to buying a few tubes to replace the main Sovtek.
nice write up ,
what surprised me the most about my mad ear+, is it's pretty goodwith the other headphones have tried with it too. sure there are some trade off's here and there, which is why i have the bryston too,
whirlwind
Headphoneus Supremus
Yeah, nice review
I bought mine pretty much for my RS1i....but like jay, mentioned.....this amp is stellar with many headphones.
The tube rolling, for the most part...does not break the bank either......this kit is stellar
I bought mine pretty much for my RS1i....but like jay, mentioned.....this amp is stellar with many headphones.
The tube rolling, for the most part...does not break the bank either......this kit is stellar
narrow bights
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
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For all you MAD enthusiasts, I have an HD300 in the for sale forum. It is a suped-up, limited edition of the EAR+
i keep looking at it, staring, it's calling to me ................
whirlwind
Headphoneus Supremus
i keep looking at it, staring, it's calling to me ................
Sell T1....buy mad ear :-0
i keep looking at it, staring, it's calling to me ................
Sell T1....buy mad ear :-0
buy the mad ear, sell the lyr ??
TheMarchingMule
Headphoneus Supremus
I'd be very interested to read a comparison of the Mad Ear+ and a Lyr (2).
i haven't heard the lyr 2 yet
but i can comment on the lyr(1)/ ear+ comaprison, i had both at the same time , side by side.
the differences to me were kinda what i was expecting, the lyr was better with dynamics, pace, attack PRAT
the mad ear+ had a larger soundstage, wider, more air.
what surprised me the most about the mad ear was how well it worked with headphones other than grado's ,
the alpha god, the lcd x were wonderfully driven by the ear+.
the lyr to me proved even more flexible, and given the right tubes to work with can be top notch with most any headphone, i'm a sucker for power
and the lyr does have that
its quite possible that i'll get another mad, i love grado's, and grado's love the ear+
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