[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

I have been asked for some time for a comparison of the Meier Headsix and Stepdance when used with the Westone ES5. My Stepdance was with Jan for a while because I wanted the low gain volume lowered. (It's just a 6 db difference but I find it useful with some of my music since the ES5 is very sensitive.) That allowed me some quality time with the iMod+Headsix+ES5 combo. Now the Stepdance is back and I am in a position to compare.
 
First off, the Headsix is a fine little amp with the ES5. It has good bass (one of its real strengths) and throws out a wide soundstage. I could be very happy staying with the Headsix+ES5 combination.
 
The one issue that I had is that the Headsix pot only gets into its absolute sweetest zone approaching 9:00. This is too loud for some of my music with the sensitive ES5 IEMs. This is a problem that the Headsix shares with many portable amps - hence the growing popularity of digitally controlled attenuators. I have Rockbox on my iMod, which allows for lowering of the line out level where desired, so that issue with the Headsix was addressed. Still one ideally does not mess with the bit stream of a line out. The Stepdance (especially with the gain lowered) has made that completely unnecessary. I have full control from its stepped attenuator (which is a lovely feature; channels are perfectly balanced at every volume level).
 
As good as the Headsix is with the ES5s, the Stepdance is that much better. By better, I mean primarily that it is weightier. It is surprising how well the ES5 responds to the extra current. The bass digs deep and grips. The overall sound through the mids is fuller. These are the differences that are obvious. More subtle is that the soundstage is more 3-dimensional and the overall transparency improved. The SQ of the iMod+Stepdance+ES5 is simply fantastic. Since I actually like the form factor of the Stepdance - and I love the attenuator - for me the upgrade is a no brainer. (It also doesn't hurt that the Stepdance does a pretty impressive job with my 600 ohm DT880s - extremely impressive for a portable. The Headsix cannot really compete in that realm.)
 
Again, I could be happy using either amp with the ES5 but the Stepdance is a material and worthy step up. Of course, it is bigger, more expensive and consumes batteries at a more rapid pace. However, there is no magic. As they say, 'Ya gets whats ya pay for.'

Great impressions - I agree with the comparison (at least while using ES3X and JH13Pro, since I didn't have ES5 at the time I borrowed the Stepdance).  The Headsix is a great little amp that I actually liked more than my Tomahawk, but the Stepdance that I had on loan was a step above in "drive" and soundstage.

 

[jr41]

Hi cooperpwc, can I ask, did the mod Jan performe to lower the gain affect sound quality at all? What was involved in the mod? With the UM3X, I find the lowest volume on the STEPDANCE is ok when using the line out of my iphone 4, but when using my desktop DAC as a source I find it too loud, and so I'm interested in this mod.
 
Thanks.

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Great impressions - I agree with the comparison (at least while using ES3X and JH13Pro, since I didn't have ES5 at the time I borrowed the Stepdance).  The Headsix is a great little amp that I actually liked more than my Tomahawk, but the Stepdance that I had on loan was a step above in "drive" and soundstage.

Thanks. The Headsix remains a good back-up amp for me. I will be hanging on to it for the foreseeable future although the Stepdance is my amp of choice now.

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Hi cooperpwc, can I ask, did the mod Jan performe to lower the gain affect sound quality at all? What was involved in the mod? With the UM3X, I find the lowest volume on the STEPDANCE is ok when using the line out of my iphone 4, but when using my desktop DAC as a source I find it too loud, and so I'm interested in this mod.
 
Thanks.

 
It involves swapping out a resistor. This lowers the low gain by 6 db. It has no effect on the high gain setting. Regarding the influence on the low gain sound quality, the original resistance was technically optimal but Jan doubts that the change will be an audible difference.  I hear no noticeable change in sound quality or sound signature.
 

 

[cooperpwc]

I feel that i have been overdoing my IEM listening the last few days so tonight I am listening to my DT880/600s. The Stepdance will never throw around the kind of voltage swings that my Earmax Pro produces. (Then again, as an OTL tube amp, the EMP only gets comfortable at impedances where most amps start to falter.) Nonethelss, listening to the Stepdance tonight with bassy material from the Dixie Chicks's Fly  through Vanessa Daou's Zipless, the Stepdance does a remarkable job with 600 ohms.The sound is full. It really shouldn't be possible with a portable amp and a 9 volt battery but there it is.
 
One thing is for sure, in high current mode andf at high gain, you want fresh batteries. Cheap as batteries are here, I will start looking at rechageables (and also a regulated power supply when I next visit HK).

 

[wsoelivan]

Anyone who is wondering how the Meier Stepdance performs in comparison to TTVJ Slim should look at the following thread.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/516747/shanghai-head-fi-micro-meet-ttvj-and-meier
 

 

[Axcelon]

I ordered a Stepdance recently and expect to receive it in the mail soon.
 
I’ll be using it to drive the Shure se530, Denon D2000, Beyer DT800/600, and Earsonics SM3.
 
For sources I will use the iMod 5.5 80GB, uDac-2, and (just for comparison) the line out of an iBasso D10.
 
I will compare it to:  RSA Predator, D10, the uDac-2 amp, and the Icon HDP.
 
A word about the active ground—this is probably (more than any other single feature) responsible for the dramatic advantage in SQ the Stepdance has.  The active ground reduces the magnetic field and voltage induced around the cables as they carry voltage and current to the headphones drivers.  The effect of these fields varies with frequency and cable and conductor shape, etc.  Normally, to avoid distortion of the signal amps are simply overbuilt to the point where they have enough power to keep the voltage and current so close to where it should be that no one notices the difference.  But the active ground allows the amp to be free of this often frequency-dependent interference.
 
So if you take an amp that is already built to be bulletproof, that has a stepped attenuator and add to it the active ground circuitry—you will have an amp which will be much faster reacting, more fluid, and one that has a very firm grip on the drivers in your headphones.
 
Jan, do you have any plans for a tube amp with your active ground circuit?  Done right that could possibly be the Head-Fi coup d’etat of the millennium.

 

[mcmalden]

Has anyone used the stepdance with the Sennheiser HD448?
I know it isn't a high-end headphone but good amping increases SQ nevertheless.
I hope somebody finds the time to give some impressions.
 
mcmalden

 

[violeta88]

Quote:

Has anyone used the stepdance with the Sennheiser HD448?
I know it isn't a high-end headphone but good amping increases SQ nevertheless.
I hope somebody finds the time to give some impressions.
 
mcmalden

 
My HD448's have been modded, but taking that into account, the Stepdance does improve their sound, especially in regards to bass tightness and midrange clarity (I would assume that with a stock pair the improvement would be greater).  The greatest improvement out of all of my headphones has to be with my HD595's though.  The 595's usually sound murky and distant in their midrange presentation with other amps, but are very clear and with much improved bass/midbass clarity and spaciousness.  The same can be said about the HD448/Stepdance combo, but not to the same degree, as the HD448 has less power handling capability, even with the Stepdance, but the improvement is still there.  I hope this helps.
 

 

[mcmalden]

Thank you violeta88,
 
I get the picture, I am almost sure I am going to buy this amp since it provides great audio quality for now but also for later since I might buy a high impedance headphone in the future. Moreover, this would be my first portable amp so it provides a nice entry in portable sound quality

.
Since this is one of the best amplifiers, in terms of sonic performance, for portable use right?

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Thank you violeta88,
 
I get the picture, I am almost sure I am going to buy this amp since it provides great audio quality for now but also for later since I might buy a high impedance headphone in the future. Moreover, this would be my first portable amp so it provides a nice entry in portable sound quality

.
Since this is one of the best amplifiers, in terms of sonic performance, for portable use right?

Yep. For the detailed views of someone more experienced than most, here is Skylab's review. Then follow the link at the end to his portable amp rankings.
 

 

[violeta88]

Here's a bit of an update on the HD448/Stepdance combo:
 
I succeeded in approximating the Pre-Modified HD448's tonality and bass quantity/quality from what I remember it to be in my modded pair, and I can now confirm that the HD448 and Stepdance are a good combo.  While the HD448 will never be able to play very loudly out of any amp, it sounds quite clean out of the Stepdance, and has considerably sharper bass attack (which I found indistinct with my other amps and out of an iPod) and has fuller bass than directly out of an iPod, with a considerably cleaner sound and very improved sense of clarity and spaciousness in the midrange.  I think I actually prefer the HD448 over the HD595 through the stepdance in regards to the mids and treble at low to moderately loud volumes and now don't have to add a disclaimer in terms of the bass quality of the HD448.  They are a very good combo IMO.
 
--Eric

 

[D.Rose]

I have been using my RWA iMod/Stepdance/JH13 combo for a while as i have just recieved my stepdance. It was a crazy experience i have to admit. I own 2 portable amps right now, the TTVJ slim and the Stepdance. The TTVJ provides a little bit clearer mids to my JH13 which is pretty nice to listen to, but Stepdance has just beat it. The bass from stapdance is more powerful, strong punches into my heart. However, the mids and highs are not covered, it can still provide very nice and sweet vocals. I just love it so much and left my TTVJ slim in the dark.
 
Sorry Todd.
 
I have yet to try other 9V batteries, i suppose ipowerus will give more than what i get right now. So much wanna try this toxic.

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

I have been using my RWA iMod/Stepdance/JH13 combo for a while as i have just recieved my stepdance. It was a crazy experience i have to admit. I own 2 portable amps right now, the TTVJ slim and the Stepdance. The TTVJ provides a little bit clearer mids to my JH13 which is pretty nice to listen to, but Stepdance has just beat it. The bass from stapdance is more powerful, strong punches into my heart. However, the mids and highs are not covered, it can still provide very nice and sweet vocals. I just love it so much and left my TTVJ slim in the dark.
 
Sorry Todd.
 
I have yet to try other 9V batteries, i suppose ipowerus will give more than what i get right now. So much wanna try this toxic.

Thanks for sharing. The iMod + Stepdance combo truly is fantastic. I too have compared it with the TTVJ Slim. I thought that the TTVJ was sweet - I liked it a lot - but I agree that the Stepdance simply outpowers it., taking bass, soundstage and transparency a notch up. 
 

 

[LevA]

now if only someone can compare it to the original TTVJ portable hybrid....