[Maxx134]

I just got back from RMAF...

... In short the Alpha Prime is most natural musical and realist headphone I ever heard and that includes the three Stax headphones I had at one time...

... I can truly say it is a flagship without faults.   

Wow that is a strong statement can I ask if you had a chance to play them on another source besides what they were played on?

I like to know if anyone else can verify it has Excellent sound on other sources?
because my disappointmens in past where that I never herd the AlphaDogs as good as when they were on the excellent meet setups MrSpeakers had and that includes units at a friend's house.

Thanks for your keen description of the AD Prime, especial how the sound of the Tenpeni was realistic. Moreover I thought it is fantastic the soundstage on the AD Prime's was better than the HE-6. Thanks for sharing your observations.

That is also excellent news...
to me the he560 had more Soundstage than the he6 as well.

 

[john57]

Wow that is a strong statement can I ask if you had a chance to play them on another source besides what they were played on?

I like to know if anyone else can verify it has Excellent sound on other sources?
because my disappointmens in past where that I never herd the AlphaDogs as good as when they were on the excellent meet setups MrSpeakers had and that includes units at a friend's house.
That is also excellent news...
to me the he560 had more Soundstage than the he6 as well.

I brought my own portable IFI micro DAC/AMP setup using my old Sony Walkman MP3 as a source.  I am playing back music that I heard so many times on various systems at home and in live concerts. I was able to easily hear the difference between headphones. I know what my music that I was playing sounds like in a real concert as a point of reference.
 
Yes Dan at Mr.Speakers  is using very fine amplification at the meet mostly with Cavalli Audio equipment. All that means that the headphone scale well with better equipment but it is not a requirement. A good headphone should sound good with less expensive equipment providing that the amp can meet the power requirements for the headphone. Generally it is good advice to get the best speaker/headphone you can afford and then look for the amp/source for it. I prove that with my portable system that I brought with me at the RMAF the Alpha Prime sound the best in show for me in spite of my old Sony Walkman to my IFI micro iDSD unit. 

 

[Maxx134]

Wow that is truly excellent news(!)

 

[Beagle]

December 8 is almost two months away, but waiting is not a problem when you anticipate that the Prime is going to be amazing....

 

[Lillee]

Thanks for the review john57! I have been thinking seriously about LCD3 or HE560 as an upgrade/side grade to Alpha Dogs, so the timing of the release for AP's was extremely good indeed!

 

[fzman]

You have to question motives and intentions when a new headphone comes out this often. From what it looks like, every new offering brought out is a huge improvement. For buyers of the previous model generation, this has to be running through their minds. It has to make you feel like you are always losing, buying an inferior, overhyped product. You know a company is doing something right when thier flagship stays put for years without question.

 
I think it's really way more complicated than that.  A large company may hold back the better model until they can sell through the current one.  A company may not spend additional R&D money to find ways to make the product better.  A company may just be learning, and their learning curve is steep, yet they always want to present their best to the public.  Probably many more scenarios that are not coming to mind at the moment.  

 

[Frank I]

Dan outdid himself with this headphone. The Prime was a major step up and  I could hear easily the improvement in bass definition.  It was the first thing I told Dan. The soundstage seemed wider and the upper treble was improved as well. Whatever he did to the driver it was a major improvement. I enjoyed listening to it  and wish I had more time  to sit and listen more but spectacular us the word that come to mind when I think about it.

 

[fzman]

  I just got back from RMAF While I heard the Alpha dog before, I barely knew that Dan had a new model and did not read any reviews. I was more interested in hearing the HE-560 and the Sony Z7 which turned out to be a no show. I also heard the oBraveo HAMT-1 as well and a few others like the HD700, HD800. After a few minutes with my IFI micro portable setup I was sold on the sound before I had a chance to try all of my test tracks. In short the Alpha Prime is most natural musical and realist headphone I ever heard and that includes the three Stax headphones I had at one time. It was more money I was planning to spend but it was the first headphone that I can truly say it is a flagship without faults.   

 
been there, did that - even had dinner with you - how small a world is that.....  it is amazing how good the micro iDSD sounds in general, but the Alpha's love it as well.   (I bought black and got thw wywires red cable - you?)
 
 
PS I'm listening to them as I type this - they're very comfortable, and sound great.   Great job Dan!

 

[wahsmoh]

been there, did that - even had dinner with you - how small a world is that.....  it is amazing how good the micro iDSD sounds in general, but the Alpha's love it as well.   (I bought black and got thw wywires red cable - you?)


PS I'm listening to them as I type this - they're very comfortable, and sound great.   Great job Dan!

iFi Micro iDSD seems like a steal at its price range. There is no other portable DAC/amp with nearly as many features at the price. I'm going to have to wait a long time before I spend any money moving to a portable setup. I might just get the Bose QC15 and deal with it for my airplane flight to Peru this winter.

I still ponder the thought of what passengers and flight attendants might think when they see me wearing these on my head.. The cables only make the alpha stand out even more. I may have to get a lower profile cable if I want to fly on an airplane without people wondering what is on my head

 

[mrspeakers]

 I may have to get a lower profile cable if I want to fly on an airplane without people wondering what is on my head

 

 
It's my portable amp stack that people always gape at, sometimes rather nervously.

 

[john57]

   
been there, did that - even had dinner with you - how small a world is that.....  it is amazing how good the micro iDSD sounds in general, but the Alpha's love it as well.   (I bought black and got thw wywires red cable - you?)
 
 
PS I'm listening to them as I type this - they're very comfortable, and sound great.   Great job Dan!

I have the prime in claret using the stock 4-pin cable with adapter to 1/4 for now. I have not decided if the aftermarket cables make that bit of a difference vs cost. Not much in the way of return privileges that I see so far but that is my first look. My the way I was using the walkman into the  analog input of the micro iDSD which worked very well at RMAF.
 
When I got my Alpha Prime home the prime was telling that something was wrong with my LD VI+(balanced tube amp). It turn out that the Bendix graphite 6080 tubes(4) were no longer cutting it with the Prime. I have not noticed that issue with my other headphones. The prime just made it easy to pinpoint the issue so clearly it is uncanny to get that kind of feedback from a headphone. I switched the tubes to matched numbered RCA black plates and the prime started to sing!
   
I am in the process of validating filter setting with the micro iDSD for best performance with just the Prime.  There is no question that the headphone output of the iDSD micro is a great match for the Prime. I also have another amp to try as well.

 

[punit]

Can anyone who has heard both, XC & Prime, do a short comparison  ?

 

[Beagle]

   
Don't think so, the Alpha Dog doesn't distort vocals with the lower treble hump the 560 has, I don't have either pre production or production HE560 because of that hump ruining my favorite vocals.  Alpha Dog Prime on order!

 
I hear a treble "lisp" in all HiFiMan 'phones, save for the HE400i. That one I really like.

 

[TMRaven]

400i has a big treble spike as well.

 

[gelocks]

  Can anyone who has heard both, XC & Prime, do a short comparison  ?

 
I have heard both the XC and 'normal' AD, still prefer the ADs... so hopefully Prime actually goes one level up...