[elwappo99]

I owned the M-stage at the same time as the HE-400, HE-500 and HE-6, as well as an Emotiva, Little Dot MKVI+, and Audio-GD 10SE. There is a pronounced difference in bass control going from the M-stage to a balanced amplifier (Audio-GD 10se OR LIttle Dot MKVI+). There was another step up when going from those balanced amps to the speaker amp. If you read over in the emotiva thread, I just tossed a resistor in the audio chain and found good results. You could consider this with the more sensitive HE-400.

 

[Lohb]

Quote:

I owned the M-stage at the same time as the HE-400, HE-500 and HE-6, as well as an Emotiva, Little Dot MKVI+, and Audio-GD 10SE. There is a pronounced difference in bass control going from the M-stage to a balanced amplifier (Audio-GD 10se OR LIttle Dot MKVI+). There was another step up when going from those balanced amps to the speaker amp. If you read over in the emotiva thread, I just tossed a resistor in the audio chain and found good results. You could consider this with the more sensitive HE-400.

Thanks for the feedback from prior ABXing everyone.
I was thinking of the 30 watt NuForce Icon Amp now after reading a detailed ABX by Armaegis.... resistors for 400's and remove those when I get the 500's. I was going to use a simple Tenor TE7022 + ES9023 DAC behind the amp. There might also be the possiblity of swapping out the opamps to LM4562s in the Nuforce as one seller in Hong Kong sells a mis-matched 6x opamp replacement kit for the Nuforce, but LM4562 may be more suited to its voltage range.
I cannot buy the Emotiva due to its size and int. shipping costs.....surface shipping from the states is well....G.O.N.E.
 
 

 

[jibzilla]

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[WEeziel]

Quote:

You only need one LM4562NA as it is a dual opamp. You would use the adaptor for two single opamps such as the opa627. But yes both will work with the m-stage

Not sure if I understood this correctly. You still need the adapter if just buy a single LM4562NA or if you buy 2? Also, could you guys give the so called "Top three opamps" for M-Stage. I see that the 627 and LM4562 are the most used ones. Is there a third considerable option?

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

Not sure if I understood this correctly. You still need the adapter if just buy a single LM4562NA or if you buy 2? Also, could you guys give the so called "Top three opamps" for M-Stage. I see that the 627 and LM4562 are the most used ones. Is there a third considerable option?

The LM4562NA is a dual opamp (stereo) so you only need one and therefore no adapter is required. If you were to choose to use a single opamp (mono/one channel) then you will need an adapter to fit two. My opinion is, why use two when one can do the job perfectly well. The amplifier is not a dual mono design. 

 

[nickwin]

If anyone with a 2012 version m stage with lm4562 would be interested in trading for a 2012 version with opa627 send me a pm
 
Edit: I just realized the lm4562 is plug and play with the m stage.  I guess I'd be better off just swapping it out so I can compare the two.

 

[Change is Good]

Quote:

If anyone with a 2012 version m stage with lm4562 would be interested in trading for a 2012 version with opa627 send me a pm

I have one... but am not trading.
 
Muahahahahahahaaa!!!

 

[Lohb]

Quote:

If anyone with a 2012 version m stage with lm4562 would be interested in trading for a 2012 version with opa627 send me a pm
 
Edit: I just realized the lm4562 is plug and play with the m stage.  I guess I'd be better off just swapping it out so I can compare the two.

Just make sure you get a real LM4562....I have two on the way and not sure they will be real after looking at the ebayers track record.
I'd even just buy from the states from an established retail ebay store vs Asia to be 100% sure. No point in dropping tons of cash on your audio chain to have a fake opamp at the heart of it !
It is a sweet opamp on separation/ detail but if you have bright cans LM4562 can get a bit bitey as you ramp up the volume...

 

[casperry]

Hello,
 
I'm listening to a brand new m-stage amp and akg k702s, which have had maybe a dozen of hours of listening time. So far this combination is performing poorly - the sound is sibilant, very metallic and tonally  off. Has anyone else had similar experience and the sound signature later changed for better due to burn-in?
 
Thanks,
Cas

 

[nickwin]

Just make sure you get a real LM4562....I have two on the way and not sure they will be real after looking at the ebayers track record.
I'd even just buy from the states from an established retail ebay store vs Asia to be 100% sure. No point in dropping tons of cash on your audio chain to have a fake opamp at the heart of it !
It is a sweet opamp on separation/ detail but if you have bright cans LM4562 can get a bit bitey as you ramp up the volume...

Thanks for the pointers. Truthfully iv never been 100% happy with the m stage k701 combo and iv recently added a pair of Mad Dogs to my headhone inventory and they just amplify the problems I have with the opa627 m stage which is that its a little to warm/colored, the bass is somewhat exaggerated and the treble altough somewhat recessed is a little harsh to my ears. So with the price of these opamps I'm willing to give the lm4562 a try b4 I try a different amp. Do you feel that the lm4562 has harsher or worse treble than the class a opa627 or just more of the same treble?

 

[Lohb]

Quote:

Thanks for the pointers. Truthfully iv never been 100% happy with the m stage k701 combo and iv recently added a pair of Mad Dogs to my headhone inventory and they just amplify the problems I have with the opa627 m stage which is that its a little to warm/colored, the bass is somewhat exaggerated and the treble altough somewhat recessed is a little harsh to my ears. So with the price of these opamps I'm willing to give the lm4562 a try b4 I try a different amp. Do you feel that the lm4562 has harsher or worse treble than the class a opa627 or just more of the same treble?

Sorry, I never compared the 2. Perhaps someone else would know.

 

[nickwin]

Sorry, I never compared the 2. Perhaps someone else would know.

Did you compare it to the stock opamp?

 

[blueangel2323]

I realize it's been a few years since this review. Have any noteworthy competitors (at the same or lower price point) been released in the mean time? I'm trying to decide on an amp that I'll stick with for a long time. I'll be driving a hybrid custom IEM and some mid-fi headphones (so variable gain is a must). The highest end full-sized cans I'll likely have will be something like the HE-400 or HD600; I won't be able to afford an HD800 or anything like that any time soon. In this price range I'm considering the iFi iCAN which is really tempting because of the extra functionality (bass/soundstage switches). Many years ago something called the Original Master was considered a giant-killer but there are probably better choices now? On the other hand, I could get a used O2, which is considered "reference" by many around here, for only $100 which is half the price of any of the above.

On a side note, what are people's take on gain vs. volume pot? For the same headphone, what results in better sound quality, high gain + low volume, or low gain + high volume?

 

[dogwan]

Quote:

Hello,
 
I'm listening to a brand new m-stage amp and akg k702s, which have had maybe a dozen of hours of listening time. So far this combination is performing poorly - the sound is sibilant, very metallic and tonally  off. Has anyone else had similar experience and the sound signature later changed for better due to burn-in?
 
Thanks,
Cas

The way your 1st sentence reads sounds like both the amp and headphones are brand new?

The AKG K7** series are known for an extremely long burn in time/settling period. Somewhere in the range of 100+ hours if I remember correctly. If you can find a way, download a "pink noise" track and put in on repeat at respectable volume and cover the headphones with a couple of pillows for a couple days. What you're describing is pretty much what I experienced demoing a brand new pair for a few days. Ended up buying a used pair of 701's that were nothing like the ones I demoed since they had several hundreds of hours logged.
 
That being said, those cans are known for being a little bright and analytical. Before I sold mine, I got probably the best sound on them out of the M-stage compared to my other amps.

 

[casperry]

Quote:

The way your 1st sentence reads sounds like both the amp and headphones are brand new?

The AKG K7** series are known for an extremely long burn in time/settling period. Somewhere in the range of 100+ hours if I remember correctly. If you can find a way, download a "pink noise" track and put in on repeat at respectable volume and cover the headphones with a couple of pillows for a couple days. What you're describing is pretty much what I experienced demoing a brand new pair for a few days. Ended up buying a used pair of 701's that were nothing like the ones I demoed since they had several hundreds of hours logged.
 
That being said, those cans are known for being a little bright and analytical. Before I sold mine, I got probably the best sound on them out of the M-stage compared to my other amps.

 
Thanks for the insight! The cans are essentially new, they were returned as unwanted by the previous owner. I will let them fully burn in before making the final judgment. I recall that the pair of k701s I had before conveyed the same unnatural feeling to music when I used them with the Little Dot MK3 and that pair was fully burned in. I'm not fully convinced that the sound will change fundamentally though.