[BournePerfect]

Anybody have any impressions with this amp for the Audio Technica AD2000?
 
-Daniel

 

[jtam]

It's a fake. The correct one should be http://matrix-digi.com/
 
Quote:

I found the company web adress:
 
http://www.matrixelectronics.net/

 

[bixby]

Quick question!  Just had a chance to hear the Matrix Stage 2 today.  And during the test we ran the line outs to an amp and speakers.  
 
Channels were reversed!
 
The sounds we heard on other systems and headphones that are definitely right channel were coming out of the left channel of the speakers.  We checked all wiring 3 times, yet still it was reversed.   
 
I ask only to see if anyone else had this come up.  If not perhaps it is an amp issue.
 
Oh and by the way a nice HP amp once you ditch the original opamp
 
thanks

 

[stephentaylor]

I got the M-Stage for Christmas to go with my Audio Technica ATH-W1000x - its my first headphone amp so I was wondering if anyone had any idea on the best gain setting to use on the amp for these headphones?
 
Thanks

 

[Jibbie]

I've never heard the W1000x, but from its specs it looks decently sensitive, so I'd start with 0db.  If you can turn it past 3 o'clock on the volume knob, try 10db.  I can't imagine it needing 18db, the K701/hd 650 didn't even NEED that much, though that is what I thought was best for them.
 
Quote:

I got the M-Stage for Christmas to go with my Audio Technica ATH-W1000x - its my first headphone amp so I was wondering if anyone had any idea on the best gain setting to use on the amp for these headphones?
 
Thanks

 

[Bojamijams]

I've read from some people that the OPA627AP Biased into Class A sounds odd and congested and worse then stock adapter.. which I find weird unless these are some cheap chinese knockoff 627's. Does Tam's Audio carry legit US based ones or cheap knockoffs?
 
Quote:

Quick question!  Just had a chance to hear the Matrix Stage 2 today.  And during the test we ran the line outs to an amp and speakers.  
 
Channels were reversed!
 
The sounds we heard on other systems and headphones that are definitely right channel were coming out of the left channel of the speakers.  We checked all wiring 3 times, yet still it was reversed.   
 
I ask only to see if anyone else had this come up.  If not perhaps it is an amp issue.
 
Oh and by the way a nice HP amp once you ditch the original opamp
 
thanks

 

[francisdemarte]

Quote:

I got the M-Stage for Christmas to go with my Audio Technica ATH-W1000x - its my first headphone amp so I was wondering if anyone had any idea on the best gain setting to use on the amp for these headphones?
 
Thanks

 
Since I own a HD650 and a W1000X I use a gain of 18. I actually like them W1000X on a gain of 10, on 18 they sound a bit more exciting.
 
They sound alright when set on 0, but I wouldn't recommend using a gain of 0 if you do a lot of opamp rolling. Quite a few opamps are not stable at a gain of 0.
 
 

 

[stephentaylor]

Thanks guys
 
I have been using it on 0db since I received it (well at least I have left it on whatever setting it was on when it arrived).
 
Given that they are quite sensitive, I take it this doesn't mean that increasing the db rating will damage the headphones?

 

[JoetheArachnid]

The gain will only make things louder. Sure, you could probably damage your 'phones if you put it on 20 gain and then turned the volume right up, but there's no harm in having it on 20 gain and keeping a reasonable level on the volpot. It just means that you've got more headroom to play with if needed. People talk about certian gain settings sounding 'best,' but from a purely technical point of view one would only adjust gain to get the widest use of the volume control for the cans in question. 'Optimal' position is probably 12 o'clock +/-1 hour or so for comfortable listening.

 

[Charminbaer]

 
Quote:

The gain will only make things louder. Sure, you could probably damage your 'phones if you put it on 20 gain and then turned the volume right up, but there's no harm in having it on 20 gain and keeping a reasonable level on the volpot. It just means that you've got more headroom to play with if needed. People talk about certian gain settings sounding 'best,' but from a purely technical point of view one would only adjust gain to get the widest use of the volume control for the cans in question. 'Optimal' position is probably 12 o'clock +/-1 hour or so for comfortable listening.

Not solely. Gain does affect opamp stability, the higher the gain the lower the opamps bandwith. Low bandwith is less likely to have instability. If you put a high speed opamp into the m-stage it will most likely be unstable at 0db.

 

[Bojamijams]

Anyone have comments on their 627's they ordered from Tam?  (meaning, are they real or fake? )

 

[Mad Max]

Quote:

The gain will only make things louder. Sure, you could probably damage your 'phones if you put it on 20 gain and then turned the volume right up, but there's no harm in having it on 20 gain and keeping a reasonable level on the volpot. It just means that you've got more headroom to play with if needed. People talk about certian gain settings sounding 'best,' but from a purely technical point of view one would only adjust gain to get the widest use of the volume control for the cans in question. 'Optimal' position is probably 12 o'clock +/-1 hour or so for comfortable listening.

Increased gain reduces the opamp's bandwidth.  Reducing the bandwidth improves stability, especially for high-speed opamps.  Ceramic caps soldered in parallel to the feedback resistors help a bit more, you'll be surprised at the improvement.  Give it a try!  n__n

 

[ninjikiran]

higher gain also likes to introduce noise on the m-stage. 
 
Though unsure how it will react with the LCD'2 and new dac I am getting.

 

[Mad Max]

Quote:

higher gain also likes to introduce noise on the m-stage. 
 
Though unsure how it will react with the LCD'2 and new dac I am getting.

There can be audible noise with some opamps.

 

[AlfBaxter]

Quote:

Anyone have comments on their 627's they ordered from Tam?  (meaning, are they real or fake? )

I wasn't too impressed with them, but I'm not saying they are fake. All I'm saying is I have some OPA627 I know to be genuine (ordered from Cimarron tech) and I absolutely love the sound I get on my HD650 with the OPA627 in class-A - punchy, crystal clear top end, really tight bass and large soundstage. I put the ones from Tam in and they sounded lifeless and congested by comparison. I admit though that I didn't leave them in that long - but that was because there seemed to be such a big drop in sound quality.