[Andrea]

Since it's the last, latest, definitive...and I won't open up this amp anymore, I thought I'd post a pic of it for the sake of history

Including: AD823 + 2x AD8397ARDZ ; AD825 rail splitter ; no more regulator/charger. (supply voltage is now free to go up till say 24V)

 

[Andrea]

In the pic the glue was still fresh, thus the white color

 

[Andrea]

Later the listening impressions...

 

[Andrea]

Wow...fantastic sounding, beyond any expectations. The top warms up a little...well with a 50 mA current drain at idle it's no surprise! I'm powering it @ 12V.

It just blows the modified Go-Vibe away in every possible way. Even the particular op-amp combination, AD823 + AD8397, feels magically musical and synergic with my HD650. What else to say...

 

[Andrea]

Listening to Nick Cave, Abattoir Blues, through this amp was memorable. Now back to the listening

I love the AD823 btw, it delivers a very lifelike sound.

 

[Andrea]

Memorable was also the reproduction of Ryan Adams, Gold.

 

[chris_ah1]

Shame about the power drain

 

[Andrea]

...and that the AD8397 only exists as a dual op-amp

Oh btw, the amp of the pic above was the object of quite a bit of experimenting, that's why the modifying job doesn't look as neat as I'd want. Never mind, this way I can use it without having to be hyper-emotive about it.

 

[MASantos]

Amazing, 8 posts and only 1 is not from the OP.

Andrea, why don't you edit your first post with new information instead of just replying to your own thread. It would be much easier to understand, and much more coherent if you have only one extensive, informative post instead of 7 posts, some of them pretty useless. such as: "the glue was fresh"

That said, it looks like an amazing mod.

ps: I don't mean to educate you in how to post or anything like that, I just find it much easier to read just one post than 7...

 

[Andrea]

Good remark...I wondered why no one had made it yet

I'll keep it in mind!


About the mod -- now I just wonder if perhaps with an LM4562 in place of the AD823 the amp would sound even better! As good as it is now I wouldn't really give it for granted, yet I'd like to try & hear (not in this very amp though!).

 

[Andrea]

What's hard to believe about this amp is how much more clean&clear, dynamic, wide open it sounds than the modified Go-Vibe which uses similar chips...

The bass is both deeper and more articulate. Here the three channels sound obviously unrealistic by comparison to me...

And the above pictured modified Xenos 0HA-REP just has this gorgeous, full bodied midrange that you can't but fall in love with...

 

[NelsonVandal]

Please try the LM4562 and give your comments. I have it in my Xenos now. It really outshines the OPA2134. There's such great synergy with my Philps 895's, but I'm not so sure about it with my Senn's. I'm awaiting AD8620 from Analog, and I'm not sure if I should try it at all.

 

[Andrea]

Alright... I'll order a few samples from National in a moment...


I've also just bought a new (3rd!) 0HA-REP. I'm addicted to this amp!

 

[Andrea]

It'll take some time before I'm able to try the LM4562 in the new amp anyway. Provided that I decide to put it in, instead of (likely) the AD8058.