[fraseyboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walie /img/forum/go_quote.gif sure there is...got a soldering iron?

Yes I do... But what I don't have is skillz

Well I do have a bit. Just stuff from metalwork and electronics at school. Do you think I could do it? And is it even worth doing it?

 

[Cid]

Here is an idea. How about actually listening to it first before messing with the internals?

 

[Nine']

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cid /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here is an idea. How about actually listening to it first before messing with the internals?

Ditto. I've got the V5S with the AD8397/AD825 and I'm very very happy with the sound (markedly better than with the stock LM6172/LM6171).

Take this with a grain of salt, since I haven't heard the AD8620/AD8610 combo, but after nearly 20 combos of opamps I thought the AD8397/AD825 was a clear winner. The only downside is the battery life, which is ~20 hours, versus the stock at around 60.

Getting my hands on the AD8620/AD8610 and OPA627s is next on my agenda, I'd really like to know how the AD8397/AD825 can stack up against the kings.

 

[fraseyboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cid /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here is an idea. How about actually listening to it first before messing with the internals?

Good idea. I wont fuss about what I'm gonna do with it before I get it

 

[ZackP]

have you recieved yours yet?

 

[fraseyboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZackP /img/forum/go_quote.gif have you recieved yours yet?

Who me?

Nope. Should probably come in around... Wednesday or Thursday at the latest (But wait, that means... Tuesday and Wednesday over there )

Oooh I cant wait! I'll do a full pictology when it arrives, to capture the lovely moment of opening it for everyone else to enjoy.

 

[nothingman]

Thank you for the excellent mini review. I'm surprised (and delighted) that you guys had trouble telling the difference between this and the Hornet M. Your review might have saved me a few bucks since I am looking for an IEM amp.

 

[ZackP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fraseyboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Who me? Nope. Should probably come in around... Wednesday or Thursday at the latest (But wait, that means... Tuesday and Wednesday over there ) Oooh I cant wait! I'll do a full pictology when it arrives, to capture the lovely moment of opening it for everyone else to enjoy.

aww ok, it sounds like it will be a fun thread

 

[els0rz]

just got my go-vibe 6 with the AD8397/825 combo. Pretty nice metal package. I wish it had a little more gain for my weak portable sources. The highs have just a touch of grain, but have decent extension, the mids are very expansive and delicious, the bass is tight, textured and detailed...but I'd appreciate a little more presence. Right now if i crank it too much, the bass is prone to clippage...hopefully that won't be an issue after a couple of hundred of hours. Overall it reminds me of an old PIMETA that I made awhile ago with just a lil more expansive mids and more punchiness. I can't wait til it breaks in. BTW, i haven't had any trouble with the AKG K81's, Altec im716, AKG K400 (the headphones currently in my rotation).

 

[Dexdexter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by els0rz /img/forum/go_quote.gif just got my go-vibe 6 with the AD8397/825 combo. Pretty nice metal package. I wish it had a little more gain for my weak portable sources.

Did you get the regular-gain or low-gain version?

 

[els0rz]

i ordered the regular gain version

haha it just occured to me to replace the filters on my altec's...much better about the bass thing

 

[kanamin]

lz7j, you mentioned you encode your music with LAME - - extreme. What's the difference between this and regular 320 LAME (what I use)?

 

[lz7j]

'alt-preset extreme' is a switch within EAC/LAME that encodes MP3's using VBR at 256kbps (avg. 220-270kbps). on my portable, I can't distinguish the difference between 'extreme' and 'insane' (320kbps CBR).

 

[lz7j]

UPDATE

I received the new Go-Vibe V6 from Norm yesterday as promised. He sent me a low-gain version with the revised op-amps (AD8620/8610). I'm here to report that the problems with my AKG K81dj's no longer exists with the new amp!

Sound quality has improved in a dramatic sense, to my hearing. The AD8397 sounds warm to the AD8620 - which is brighter, more analytical/detailed op-amp. Fast!

new - top. With the blue LED.

Sound Quality

Mids: Slightly recessed. It's not as pronounced or forward as the AD8397. Still clear and well defined.

Treble: So that's how it's supposed to sound! Breathes new life in my flat sounding K81's (I didn't know that these could sound like Grado's with healthier bass) and UM1's. Crispyness that extends in the higher range. The new soundstage is phenomenal - 'much larger than life'. Lots of 'air'.

Bass: Not as prominent as the AD8397, but still tight, refined and textured.

--------------------------------------------

PROS: Synergizes especially well with my "dark" sounding HD650's. Compliments my other cans quite good, too (k701, k81, um1/um2). Longer battery life (3x) 28-30 hours. More powerful! Despite of this amp being the low-gain version, it powers my high-impedance cans the same as the standard-gain AD8397, same volume position. Background noise/hiss is less using my sensitive iem's to check.

Now I can plug in/out my headphones without turning the amp off. You can't do that without risking damage to the op-amp using the AD8397 - from Norm.

CONS: Turn on thump is more audible, turning off thump is even louder, "turn on/off noise is normal and harmless" according to Norm.

I tried a pair of Grado sr60's with the new amp. To my ears, it was too shrilly and unpleasant. I guess I'm too much of a basshead and slightly unattuned to good sound, says a friend who loves the grado + ad8620 combo.

 

[jmmtn4aj]

lz7j, how long did shipping take?