[hifimanrookie]

Question to all the more experienced M-Stage owners, how often do you turn it on and off? Each time you leave your setup? Only turn off at night? Or leave on all the time?

I had one for 2 years..modded with opa627 class a. And i always switched it off after using..i did let it warm up for 15 min though before listening...but. I do that with all the amps. I had before..but i have to say..my listening periods were at least 3 hours! I once forgot the amp being switched on while i had to go out for a certain matter..and wheni got back 12 hours later i started listen to it..and to be honest..i didnt hear any difference in sound then what i normally switch it off and on..hope this helps!

 

[hifimanrookie]

Yikes!
Keep me away from the psuedo balanced Yulong!
Throw the Bryston into the list.

To be honest i heard the yulong is pretty good..but only from reviews..actually..i am invited to a long listening experience with a yulong a18 in 3 weeks time. I will be taking my he500's with me. I will take my excellent 337 (which was better then any burson paired with my he500!) also with me..as reference. I will try to do a little review while listening

 

[taylorpoz]

Anyone here used the m-stage with USB DAC? Just wondering how good the DAC is....

 

[GaToMaLaCo]

Its good enought for the extra 30 bucks it cost. Unless you need the extra rca inputs. I got one Matrix with usb dac and i really like it, I put a couple of BB OPA602 on the dac and i got nice sinergy with OPA637 + class A bias mod. My Beyerdynamic DT990 sounds very nice! XD

 

[fuzzybaffy]

What about the standalone Matrix M-Stage DAC? The standalone $300 DAC, not the one that comes with the M-Stage USB amp. Anybody know or have any opinions about those?

 

[GaToMaLaCo]

Have a look:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/matrix-m-stage-dac
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/616771/new-matrix-m-stage-dac
 
http://www.headfonia.com/matrix-m-stage-dac/

 

[fuzzybaffy]

Yep. As mentioned before, I did a search for it, and those links you posted were exactly the ones I found. I was just wondering if there was anybody else who has gotten their hands on one and have made up opinions on them since those threads/reviews have been posted?

 

[taylorpoz]

Quote:

Its good enought for the extra 30 bucks it cost. Unless you need the extra rca inputs. I got one Matrix with usb dac and i really like it, I put a couple of BB OPA602 on the dac and i got nice sinergy with OPA637 + class A bias mod. My Beyerdynamic DT990 sounds very nice! XD

Cool beans. Thanks for your input. I think I'm gunna go ahead and get the M-Stage w/ USB DAC and use that with the K701s i will also be getting. If i had the cash, I would go for Bifrost + Valhalla, but hopefully that will come later. For now, the m-stage should do more than well enough for me. It'll be fun op amp rolling and messing around with it

 

[K_19]

Got these into my stable as a "downgrade" HD800 amp, replacing my good old WA6SE.  The 6SE is better, without a doubt, but the reason I downgraded was because HD800 was no longer my primary headphone (the Stax 007 MK1's are) and I needed to come up with some money into furthering my Stax rig.
 
With that said, In my Macbook air -> M2tech Hiface -> Stello DA100 -> M-Stage (stock default version) rig, the HD800 sounds very lively and powerful, and am very satisfied with the synergy thus far. The main differences are that the M-Stage is little bit more harsh in the sibilance region and is less warm in the lower midrange compared to my old WA6SE, but these problems are not severe enough to my ears to become an issue. For the price it sounds spectacular indeed, and beats out the other SS amps I had such as the Stello HP100 and Burson 160D for the HD800. It's neck and neck with my old AMB M3 as well, which also amped the HD800's very well.  Another plus is that it's very silent overall without hissing noise or static noises when I plug and unplug the headphones.
 
The only thing I'm not happy with, however, is its volume control. No idea why they decided to use a knob so slippery on this? Does anyone have a good recommendation on a nice tactile feel volume knob replacement?

 

[GaToMaLaCo]

Quote:

Got these into my stable as a "downgrade" HD800 amp, replacing my good old WA6SE.  The 6SE is better, without a doubt, but the reason I downgraded was because HD800 was no longer my primary headphone (the Stax 007 MK1's are) and I needed to come up with some money into furthering my Stax rig.
 
With that said, In my Macbook air -> M2tech Hiface -> Stello DA100 -> M-Stage (stock default version) rig, the HD800 sounds very lively and powerful, and am very satisfied with the synergy thus far. The main differences are that the M-Stage is little bit more harsh in the sibilance region and is less warm in the lower midrange compared to my old WA6SE, but these problems are not severe enough to my ears to become an issue. For the price it sounds spectacular indeed, and beats out the other SS amps I had such as the Stello HP100 and Burson 160D for the HD800. It's neck and neck with my old AMB M3 as well, which also amped the HD800's very well.  Another plus is that it's very silent overall without hissing noise or static noises when I plug and unplug the headphones.
 
The only thing I'm not happy with, however, is its volume control. No idea why they decided to use a knob so slippery on this? Does anyone have a good recommendation on a nice tactile feel volume knob replacement?

 
For a volume knob take a look here: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-30x22-Aluminum-Hi-Fi-CD-VOLUME-TONE-CONTROL-KNOB-Bs-/180672233284

 

[Chris J]

Quote:

Got these into my stable as a "downgrade" HD800 amp, replacing my good old WA6SE.  The 6SE is better, without a doubt, but the reason I downgraded was because HD800 was no longer my primary headphone (the Stax 007 MK1's are) and I needed to come up with some money into furthering my Stax rig.
 
With that said, In my Macbook air -> M2tech Hiface -> Stello DA100 -> M-Stage (stock default version) rig, the HD800 sounds very lively and powerful, and am very satisfied with the synergy thus far. The main differences are that the M-Stage is little bit more harsh in the sibilance region and is less warm in the lower midrange compared to my old WA6SE, but these problems are not severe enough to my ears to become an issue. For the price it sounds spectacular indeed, and beats out the other SS amps I had such as the Stello HP100 and Burson 160D for the HD800. It's neck and neck with my old AMB M3 as well, which also amped the HD800's very well.  Another plus is that it's very silent overall without hissing noise or static noises when I plug and unplug the headphones.
 
The only thing I'm not happy with, however, is its volume control. No idea why they decided to use a knob so slippery on this? Does anyone have a good recommendation on a nice tactile feel volume knob replacement?

 
Wow!
Hey, thanks for the M Stage comparisons!
My little reptile brain keeps thinking that a mega $$$ amp has GOT TO sound better than an M Stage. 
How does it compare to the O2? 
I must have dry, scaly reptile fingers, the M Stage knob does not bother me. Just my opinion.
 
I used to live in T.O up until 17 years ago, nice city. Very nice city.

 

[hifimanrookie]

Wow!
Hey, thanks for the M Stage comparisons!
My little reptile brain keeps thinking that a mega $$$ amp has GOT TO sound better than an M Stage. 
How does it compare to the O2? 
I must have dry, scaly reptile fingers, the M Stage knob does not bother me. Just my opinion.

I used to live in T.O up until 17 years ago, nice city. Very nice city.

Trust me..the mstage is one heck of a beauty soundwise..i had one for 2 years and sometimes blew even more expensive amps out of water..only my new and also not expensive 337 was good enough in my eyes to drive the he500's better then the mstage..its a gem..that little black mstage i had..

 

[Chris J]

Quote:

Trust me..the mstage is one heck of a beauty soundwise..i had one for 2 years and sometimes blew even more expensive amps out of water..only my new and also not expensive 337 was good enough in my eyes to drive the he500's better then the mstage..its a gem..that little black mstage i had..

Thanks,
Then I should quit my agonizing and my lust for more $$$ amps.
BTW,
My M Stage uses the LM4562 Op Amp and I have removed the input coupling caps (all my sources have no DC offset at their outputs).

 

[hifimanrookie]

Thanks,
Then I should quit my agonizing and my lust for more $$$ amps.
BTW,
My M Stage uses the LM4562 Op Amp and I have removed the input coupling caps (all my sources have no DC offset at their outputs).

I had the opa 627 class a mod in my black beauty

 

[WestLander]

Quote:

I had the opa 627 class a mod in my black beauty

 
Can I also plug the LME49720HA (metal can)? I have it in my silver M-Stage and it sounds so so wonderful with the HE-500 (+10 gain). Before that I had the the Audio-GD OPA SUN, but it was a little too warm, and not as detailed as I would have liked...Particularly after hearing what the HE-500s were capable of out of a great source + amp at a recent head-fi meet, the LME in the M-Stage gets me most of the way there.. 

 
If money was no object, Chris J, I'd say buy the new Headamp GS-X and be done with upgrades!