[Thaigaryen]

Quote:

the gain switches are reversed on many 1st gen m-stages, so its fine.  The gain setting is the opposite of whats printed on the label, ie. 20db is actually 0db, and vice versa.  Nothing to worry about.

 
Thanks!  That makes A LOT of sense now.  

 

[formula1]

Quote:

the gain switches are reversed on many 1st gen m-stages, so its fine.  The gain setting is the opposite of whats printed on the label, ie. 20db is actually 0db, and vice versa.  Nothing to worry about.

 
....or the labels are reversed, not the switches. 

 

[Chris J]

the gain switches are reversed on many 1st gen m-stages, so its fine.  The gain setting is the opposite of whats printed on the label, ie. 20db is actually 0db, and vice versa.  Nothing to worry about.

I think everyone makes this mistake when they first get the M Stage.

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

 
Thanks!  That makes A LOT of sense now.  

yeap. you'll get the hang of it after a while, also I very much like sitting mine on it's side! 

 

[Thaigaryen]

For a brief moment there I started to doubt everything I knew about gains! I've been into car audio as a teenager then moved on to home audio so I have plenty experience with using amps to adjust gains; but this amp almost caused me to think [you] computer audio people are nuts!

Glad to know we aren't that different after all.

 

[Chris J]

For a brief moment there I started to doubt everything I knew about gains! I've been into car audio as a teenager then moved on to home audio so I have plenty experience with using amps to adjust gains; but this amp almost caused me to think [you] computer audio people are nuts!

Glad to know we aren't that different after all.

 
Yes, computer audio people are nuts! LOL!

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

 
Yes, computer audio people are nuts! LOL!

Thank you for noticing, we do try! 

 

[blueangel2323]

Ha! Well to be fair, the M-Stage isn't really a computer-audio-specific amp. It can be used with any gear... of course technically all digital audio equipment is technically computers

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

Very interesting... I've been switching back and forth between +10 and +18 (it's kind of a pain, having to flip 4 switches on the bottom of the unit; I wish they could've put a single gain switch on the front, just like the input selector) and they definitely sound different. The sound is a lot fuller and weightier on +18, in more ways than one.  
Firstly, bass is increased by a fair amount. There seems to be added warmth and depth as well. Main vocals sound fuller and chestier. Background singers sound like they're actually singing in full voice, whereas on +10 it sounds more like they're whispering.
 
Secondly, soundstage is a lot more full and layered, though not bigger per se. In fact, possibly due to the weightier sound, everything sounds more upfront and immediate. On +10 the soundstage was flat - like there's a giant wall of speakers 15 feet away, playing at you. They are a fair distance away from you, but everything is the same distance away. On +18 there is a lot more layering and depth to the soundstage. It's like you're listening to a live band with the lead singer in front of you, just a few feet away, guitars on either side of you, some instruments right behind the vocalist, other instruments much further back, background singers right behind you. In some ways it's more intimate, but more 3D and immersive.
 
I don't know if +18 sounds "better" than +10 in an absolute sense, but they are different. +10 has a light, airy, laid back sound. +18 is very engaging, dynamic and immersive. Are you actually "listening" to music, or just playing music in the background while you're working or relaxing? +18 is great for the former but +10 is better suited to the latter.
 
It's not all positive, however. While the amp is completely silent at 0 and +10 (although it does amplify any noise that's in the system if you turn up the volume), there is a very noticeable hiss at +18 and +20. The hiss is there regardless of volume, although it does increase somewhat if you turn up the volume. Not sure if this is due to the LM4652 or the amp design itself. It's too much work to open the thing up and swap in the stock opamp to test.
 
Also, there seems to be less clarity and more grain on the +18 setting.

 
At some point someone did a nice write up on gains that really changed my mind about it. 
 
Basically at each step you add gain you introduce some distortion to some extent. In addition, adding gain will reduce more and more of the sound of the m-stage, which i actually really enjoy. 

 

[Chris J]

 
At some point someone did a nice write up on gains that really changed my mind about it. 
 
Basically at each step you add gain you introduce some distortion to some extent. In addition, adding gain will reduce more and more of the sound of the m-stage, which i actually really enjoy. 

 
I know I've blabbed on and on about Gain in this thread! 20 dB of gain leeads to less feedback which means more distortion and less bandwidth. 0 dB of gain leads to more feedback which means less distortion and wider bandwidth. Some Op Amps may oscillate at 0 dB of gain. 10 dB of gain is a nice compromise.

 

[Makiah S]

Ok seriously, this amp is the greatest thing ever, I don't know when or why I just now noticed... but even at 0 gain with my w1000x. The dynamics on this are just awesome! My tubes... sounds... so flat and ugh BLAND compared to this! The Tube get's those mids nice and lush but... just can't handle dynamics as well, highs to peak nicely and lows to decay fast enough... the hybrid Tube I have just sounds... slow and boring. Where as the Matrix keeps things quick an interesting! I also think I've been listening to the same songs a little to much. I listen to my 9 Testing songs HOURS  on end each day, which is a good thing I guess, because after like 6 days I noticed how bland and lacking in dynamics my hybrid tube was... I mean when the horns crenshendo on this classical peice, the Matrix has a nice brassy warmth to it! NOT metallic, but the high notes, the PEAKS of the treble and Upper mids in teh horns REALLY come out, where as again'st the Tube... it's just MEH horns No beuno! Although this track... isn't really all that dynamic to be honest... looking at the wave form it doesn't change too much... means I need some REAL classical... which is REALLY DYNAMIC! It used to through me off, how it went from quiet to LOUD, but I kinda want that in my music! 
 
Going on to rock, it's mostly singular in it's level of dynamics, but there's still a differance in energy, plus the post rock banks i like , make good use of quiet intros, agressive body's and quiter chorus. Followed with a slighty off key outro, 
 
Speaking of which, I've changed my Testing music once again. Replaced an "asian" ost with a more dynamic and well imaged Move Track, also dropped my Classic Re take of a chip tune for a Cello Pinao Duet, nice dynamics in that tune! 
 
That being said I'm also ditching Adele, her music is a little flat. Granted in "some one like you" there's the high energy of her voice as well as the lows of the Piano but... that's about it... Lisa Ekdahl's "Of my conceit" has much better imaging and dynamics, a soft cymbal in the back ground, a Guitar to my right, a paino to my left and a warm Wood Wind in the middle, which comes in when Lisa is not singing. Wonderful use of instruments there!
 
Adele like my tube is just too laid back in her music. Lisa's voice goes from DEEP to soft, to powerful quiete a bit. She's a much better vocalist imo. Granted Adele has those same Dynamic ranges, but she's not as playful with her singing as Lisa is, nor is her music as well put together. 
 
Also added some Explorations of Space and Time, a binural Percussion master piece! Repalceing Adele, with Dai Quing Tong 

 

[blueangel2323]

I noticed something weird... the blue LED on the front lights up full strength when you turn it on, and usually it stays on when I have headphones plugged in. The light then turns off (or at least gets very dim) when you unplug the headphones. However, with my HD600, the LED is always very dim, as if there were no headphones plugged in at all. Any ideas as to why?

 

[Thaigaryen]

I noticed something weird... the blue LED on the front lights up full strength when you turn it on, and usually it stays on when I have headphones plugged in. The light then turns off (or at least gets very dim) when you unplug the headphones. However, with my HD600, the LED is always very dim, as if there were no headphones plugged in at all. Any ideas as to why?

I have no idea but I can test to see if something similar happens to mine when I get home. Perhaps something to do with voltage depending on impedance of headphones?

 

[Makiah S]

Quote:

I have no idea but I can test to see if something similar happens to mine when I get home. Perhaps something to do with voltage depending on impedance of headphones?

My light is always one regardless of headphone I have plugged in

 

[Chris J]

I noticed something weird... the blue LED on the front lights up full strength when you turn it on, and usually it stays on when I have headphones plugged in. The light then turns off (or at least gets very dim) when you unplug the headphones. However, with my HD600, the LED is always very dim, as if there were no headphones plugged in at all. Any ideas as to why?

 
I also noticed something............you changed your avatar. She's gorgeous, who is she? BTW, I don't notice the blue LED dimming when headphones are plugged, the LED is always the same brightness.