[ICU]

Hot damn! That's one smokin' hottie!

Now I gotta git me a job. *grumbles*

(I bet the Chinese reverse engineers/EEs are gonna be burnin some midnite fat!)

 

[jamato8]

quote, "With all due respect you are both missing the boat. Yes tubes are microphonic to some degree, however the ones used in stereo equipment do not go ping when you accidentally tap or touch the amp or the table they are on. If any of my amps started behaving in such a way I would find which is the offending tube and I would replace it."

I totally disagree with you. I have used tubes and built equipment for years and audio or not you can get microphonic tubes and just because they are does not mean you rule them out. Some of the best sounding tubes I have and frankly I prefer this to some degree, are microphonic. They seem to capture the life and realism more than a solid performer that is quiet as a slab of concrete. I don't want tubes that easily go into a song of their own but I find that a tube that is "lively" sounds a whole lot better than a dead one. I have some mesh plate 27's from 1929 to 1932 and they sound better and throw a better 3D image than anything else I have ever heard and they do have a life of their own. Even for portable a little microphonics would be fine with me.

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif quote, "With all due respect you are both missing the boat. Yes tubes are microphonic to some degree, however the ones used in stereo equipment do not go ping when you accidentally tap or touch the amp or the table they are on. If any of my amps started behaving in such a way I would find which is the offending tube and I would replace it." I totally disagree with you. I have used tubes and built equipment for years and audio or not you can get microphonic tubes and just because they are does not mean you rule them out. Some of the best sounding tubes I have and frankly I prefer this to some degree, are microphonic. They seem to capture the life and realism more than a solid performer that is quiet as a slab of concrete. I don't want tubes that easily go into a song of their own but I find that a tube that is "lively" sounds a whole lot better than a dead one. I have some mesh plate 27's from 1929 to 1932 and they sound better and throw a better 3D image than anything else I have ever heard and they do have a life of their own. Even for portable a little microphonics would be fine with me.

If I am buying an amp and it is known that it has microphonic issues I would have appreciated knowing it before I bought the unit. Getting into discussions on the semantics of microphonics and wheather one likes it or not is not the issue. BTW just because you like some tubes that have been microphonic does not mean that the rest of us would.

 

[jamato8]

You miss my point. I as well as friends I have in the business of tubes have come to realize that some microphonics can add to the realism. No I don't want to hear a tube act like a microphone, which I have had, but just a taste of microphonics. I have discussed this with friends in the trade that came to the same conclusion after years of working on and making tube equipment.

I do agree with you that if an amp tends to relay any sound like tapping and so on it should be conveyed that the amp has this tendency.

 

[Kees]

I can see myself taking this out of my pocket and trying to screw off the volume knob to take a sip.

I think I'll call it Pete's Flask.

 

[lextek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kees /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can see myself taking this out of my pocket and trying to screw off the volume knob to take a sip. I think I'll call it Pete's Flask.

And a fine looking flask.

 

[kg4icn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kees /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can see myself taking this out of my pocket and trying to screw off the volume knob to take a sip. I think I'll call it Pete's Flask.

just as long as the capacitors don't leak in my flask. More of a flask for an energy drink

 

[kg4icn]

OK... Gotta know- Who has already opened their new little toy and taken pictures?? I have seen some of the unfinished insides a while back...

Would have been neat to have a clear side panel!

 

[mrarroyo]

The amp has about 40 hours of burn in. I will say the bass is very good to excellent and it is in balance with the rest of the frequency range. I mean, it does not play good bass at the cost of poor performance in the mids or highs.

One area that IMO it surpasses other portable amps is in that the highs are much less sibilant specially with players like Arturo Sandoval. For those who have not heard Arturo Sandoval he is a jazz trumpet player known for being able to hit extremely high notes on the trumpet (which most players can not).

I still think the soundstage is a bit more open (than The Hornet "M") and there is a "sweetness" to the notes characteristic of tube amps. This "sweetness" does not make the amp slow in any way.

 

[oicdn]

Damn...I want one really bad. Are they hiss free with IEMs? This amp makes me want to get some 770's again and/or some Darths...seems like they'de be a PERFECT compliment to eachother.

 

[procreate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif The amp has about 40 hours of burn in. I will say the bass is very good to excellent and it is in balance with the rest of the frequency range. I mean, it does not play good bass at the cost of poor performance in the mids or highs. One area that IMO it surpasses other portable amps is in that the highs are much less sibilant specially with players like Arturo Sandoval. For those who have not heard Arturo Sandoval he is a jazz trumpet player known for being able to hit extremely high notes on the trumpet (which most players can not). I still think the soundstage is a bit more open (than The Hornet "M") and there is a "sweetness" to the notes characteristic of tube amps. This "sweetness" does not make the amp slow in any way.

So how does it rank it the list?

 

[el_monkey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Damn...I want one really bad. Are they hiss free with IEMs? This amp makes me want to get some 770's again and/or some Darths...seems like they'de be a PERFECT compliment to eachother.

With my source on pause, the is no audible hiss with my Shure E4s to the 1:00 o'clock position, which would be way too loud for normal listening. I normally listen to the amp at the 9:00/10:00 o'clock position using my P-S adapter. I like the sound better with my Shures using the adapter.

 

[procreate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif For those who have not heard Arturo Sandoval he is a jazz trumpet player known for being able to hit extremely high notes on the trumpet (which most players can not).

Yes, and saxophone player Eric Russo (who played with the Yellowjackets for a while). Noone can hit those high notes as sweet and without any hint of strain as he can.

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by el_monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif With my source on pause, the is no audible hiss with my Shure E4s to the 1:00 o'clock position, which would way too loud for normal listening. I normally listen to the amp at the 9:00/10:00 o'clock position using my P-S adapter. I like the sound better with my Shures using the adapter.

At this moment I only have the V-Moda and with my source on pause, the hiss becomes audible at 1:00pm as well which like the previous poster stated it would be way to loud.

 

[oicdn]

Damn...this thing sounds like a jewel.

Now, the real question begs. Do you think it's worth every penny of the $459 pricetag? i.e. the analogy that's commonly made with the GoVibe to Hornet, the hornet rocks, but it's not worth the 3x amount. Is this amp worth every penny?

In any case, the reviews this thing is getting, seems to be the EXACT sound signature and characteristics I'm after. My credit card might hate me soon....