[acidtripwow]

Go here for a couple of pics.

The pics show the Meta42, Sony D777 PCDP, Pioneer Monitor 10R headphones, and Grado Reference interconnect. This setup sounds very punchy and dynamic. I compared this amp to my favorite portable amp the Grado HPA-2 and found that the Meta42 held it's own very well. The Meta sounded more forward which made some instruments sound a little clearer like the acoustic guitars on the America "History" CD. But the Grado had a silky smoothness to it that the Meta just couldn't touch. Please remember that I paid over 5 times more for the Grado than the Meta when I make these comparisons. Also, the Grado sounded richer and made instruments sound more 3 dimensional while the Meta made instruments sound flatter with less tonal character. Sometimes these differences were very subtle and I really needed to concentrate to hear the differences. Overall, for the price this is an excellent amp and well worth an audition. Oh, by the way JMT built this amp and not me. I just added the stickers to make it not so plain looking.

 

[kelly]

Cool pics, acid. Thanks.

Do you know the dimensions of that case? It looks slimmer and wider than the tangent META42 I have here. If it's the same as the Cosmic, it seems that would be ideal for sticking in a Headroom bag.

Tell us about what's inside yours. Looks like a locking Neutrik, I'm guessing that's an ALPS Blue. Is it opamp AD823?

That mini to RCA you're using looks slick too--which one is that?

 

[JMT]

The enclosure measures approximately 5" x 5" x 1", made by PacTec. The headphone jack is a Neutrik, the op-amp is an AD823, and the pot is a faux Alps mini stepped attenuator that I got through e-Bay.

 

[RickG]

Very nice, acid/JMT...

 

[acidtripwow]

Thanks JMT, for answering Kelly's question. I should buy some electronics books and start building an amp myself. At one time I was a EE major in college(Purdue).

 

[bootman]

Hey, I recognize that work!

Nice pics.

 

[andrzejpw]

can I ask which case you're using?

 

[bootman]

Quote:

Originally posted by andrzejpw can I ask which case you're using?

Me?
Its the same one as Acid's.

 

[kelly]

Just to clarify, that case is plastic, right? I'd like to build one in a case of about those dimensions--but aluminum.

 

[bootman]

Quote:

Just to clarify, that case is plastic, right?

Yes.
I like Acid's idea about a wooden box for the meta.
I can even see the words META42 scribed on it just like in the Grado amp.

 

[andrzejpw]

Quote:

Originally posted by bootman Me? Its the same one as Acid's.

which model number is that?

 

[fiddler]

It kinda looks like the Pactec CM5-125. I could be wrong, though.

 

[JMT]

Quote:

It kinda looks like the Pactec CM5-125. I could be wrong, though.

That is the model number, you win!

 

[fiddler]

WOOO!

... So, what's the prize?

 

[andrzejpw]

do you like chocolate chip cookies?