[sling5s]

The Mad Ear to me sounds ok with the AKG K702 (sounds better with my Audio Gd C-2.1) but what I didn't expect is the synergy of MAD Ear with Denon ah-d7000.  I was actually expecting a poor match since the Denons were a poor match with the Woo Audio 6 when I had it.  But the MAD makes the Ah-d7000 really shine.  
The Mad has an uncanny ability to really make the treble shimmer and sparkle without being harsh.  
Since I primarily purchased the MAD for my Grado RS1, I can't wait until Gradolabs finishes repairing my RS1.
 
Does the MAD generally match better with low impedance cans? I say generally because the AKG K702 always seems to be an exception to the rule. 
 

 

[MacedonianHero]

The Mad Ear to me sounds ok with the AKG K702 (sounds better with my Audio Gd C-2.1) but what I didn't expect is the synergy of MAD Ear with Denon ah-d7000.  I was actually expecting a poor match since the Denons were a poor match with the Woo Audio 6 when I had it.  But the MAD makes the Ah-d7000 really shine.  
The Mad has an uncanny ability to really make the treble shimmer and sparkle without being harsh.  
Since I primarily purchased the MAD for my Grado RS1, I can't wait until Gradolabs finishes repairing my RS1.
 
Does the MAD generally match better with low impedance cans? I say generally because the AKG K702 always seems to be an exception to the rule. 
 

I kinda half agree with you on the K701/MAD pairing...but I also didn't care much for the MAD/D7000 pairing either. The first seemed lifeless and the second seemed bloated. YMMV

 

[lbj]

I love the K601 with the MAD.  I enjoy this pairing just as much if not more than the RS1.  Probably just another data point because I know K601 doesn't share much in common with K70x.  To my ears the D2000 (sorry again for the imperfect comparison) sounded overly warm with the MAD.
 

 

[sling5s]

I guess I liked the d7000 with MAD because my previous amp made them too bright.  The midrange was thin and treble sibilant and hot.
I guess I'm liking the change but you both are probably right.  The d7000 is a little bloated in the bass and I'm sure I'll want to go back to more tighter bass that the C-2.1 provides.
 
 

 

[sling5s]

 
Which Dac for the MAD Ear Grado RS1 combo.

 

I like both the sound signature of the HRT Music Streamer and NFB-3.  

They are both very musical dacs; both on the warm side, yet lively and detailed.  

That is, it's not clinical, thin and bright.

But which would make a better match fro the Mad Ear and Grado rs1.  

They are both about $350.

 

[Twinster]

If you don't need the extra input ports (Coaxial & Optical) I would recommend the Centrance Dacport over the HRT. It complement my MAD Ear very well and it allows for very good DAC/AMP while traveling or for the office.

 

[sling5s]

One of my RCA is loose.  How do you tighten it?  Is it easy to open and fix?

 

[lbj]

Quote:

One of my RCA is loose.  How do you tighten it?  Is it easy to open and fix?

The case is easy to open.  Turn the amp upside down and remove the 4 screws and take the bottom cover off.  You'll see a nut securing each rca (see pic below).  It may not be easy to get it very tight though, it'll be a close quarters for a wrench.
 

 

[sling5s]

Wow, thank you for the pics.  Looks easy enough.
 
Quote:

The case is easy to open.  Turn the amp upside down and remove the 4 screws and take the bottom cover off.  You'll see a nut securing each rca (see pic below).  It may not be easy to get it very tight though, it'll be a close quarters for a wrench.
 

 

 

[tme110]

A question.  I think this is an impedance issue and it may even be an OPPO issue.
 
I normally have both my e7/e9 and my HRT MS2+ going into my MAD and it works great.  With windows audio output window up I can instantly switch between either DAC without issue so it works out great.
 
I connected my OPPO 93 up to it - so far no issue.  But if I connect any of my DACs up to the MAD with the OPPO connected the volume gets cut in half. But if I'm listening to a DAC and I turn the OPPO off, the volume comes back.  Though if I connect the OPPO and my Audio-GD DAC up turning either off will change the volume level.  So i't basically impossible to do any AB testing.
 
This doesn't sound like it should be an issue.  I probably wouldn't notice if the MAD had an input selector.  Does anyone know a way around this?
 
It's a bigger issue now because I got the AUDIO-GD DAC and it's in the same system as the OPPO so right now, I have to keep disconnecting and reconnecting whatever interconnect goes to the device I'm not using.

 

[lbj]

tme, hopefully someone will chime in with a technical explanation, which I can't give.  But if you'll look at the picture I posted in the post before yours, the two inputs are actually wired together.  Inputs 1 and 2 are not discrete, whatever signal is applied to one will show up at the other.  I'm sure this is at least part of the reason why things are not going quite as you expect.
 
It's wired such that I'm using one of the inputs as an output.  DAC goes into one input, then I have the signal come back out unmolested from the other "input" to my speaker amp.  Almost like having an rca y-split cable.

 

[tme110]

Yea, I got that.  I'm sure my posting didn't make any sense - I try not to write rambling discriptions.
 
I know the 2 inputs are shorted together as they have to be since there is no switch.  I usually have 2 different DACs connected to it without problem.  The issue is that I can't have 2 devices connected to it when one of them is my OPPO because when I do the MAD output goes so low you can barily hear it.  If I am listening to my MS2 DAC through the MAD with the OPPO on but not playing - I can't hear anything over the phones. Then if I turn the oppo off (which wasn't doing anything anyway) then the volume comes back and I can hear the MS2 DAC thru the MAD.  Turning the OPPO off really isn't a solution because when I do that it turns off my TV and AVR - so right now I have to disconnect the interconnects to the OPPO every time I listen to something else. This also wouldn't be an issue if the OPPO had inputs on it!
 
So is it normal that my OPPO is dragging the input circuit down when connected?  I would accept this as just that way it is when 2 device's outputs are shorted together but it doesn't happen with my other inputs.  It seems the solution is to get a switch involved.  I'm sure the MAD doesn't care since it doesn't have any electronics but hopefully it wasn't screwing with the oppo.  If it is normal, I thought it would have come up too.
 
thanks!

 

[DeadEars]

Yes, I had this problem too.  The two inputs may or may not interact depending on the circuitry of your source.  I ended up putting in a microswitch in the corner of my MAD.  Just a little DPDT toggle switch.  I can reach behind the amp and switch inputs that way.  Problem solved!
 
Of course a purist will tell you any additional contacts can potentially degrade the sound.  So use a good-quality switch if you do this.  Requires rewiring the RCA's to each side of the DPDT switch, and the center pins feed the signal to the amp connected to whichever input you've selected.  Really pretty easy, although need to drill a small hole in the back to mount the toggle switch, and be careful with the soldering.
 
HTH
 
Frank

 

[zenemano]

hi there,
 
would someone please be so kind and digitalize, or point me to a digitalized version of the MAD EAR+ HD kit manual? I'm a complete newbie when it comes to assembling electronics, and I'd like to prepare for the task both technically and theoretically before I pull the trigger. I think I've never been so excited about getting new audio equipment, let alone DIY.
 
thanks.
norbert

 

[lbj]

I can dig mine up and scan it.  But first, ask Lloyd, he'd probably be happy to send you a pdf or some such.