[TabCam]

  Need DAC/amp recommendation for Alpha Prime. Budget is 1000€, but can flex a small amount. Would the Schiit Bifrost & Lyr 2 combination work with the Alpha Prime? Or is there a better match?

The Chord Mojo will also work quite well. It depends upon the sound signature
you want. I have the Chord Hugo and it is both natural and has enough power
for the AP. I use it for desktop and portable duties and for various music like
singer/songwriter (beautiful voices, guitar plucks and piano's), EDM (nice bass!),
jazz (again nice instruments and voices), classical music (good instrument
separation), pop/(early) rock/folk (natural and I can hear the recording area/
mix), synthesizer (don't know how that should sound, but still like the match)
and more.
 
For me it performs exemplary. Can't compare it to the Schiit stacks as these
are more rare in Europe

 

[JTabacs]

So I've done a lot of research on the Alpha Dogs and Primes, and from what I read they are exactly what I am looking for in a closed headphone, mainly for semi-portable use. That being said, if I had about $1000 to spend on this latest amp/phone purchase, would you guys think I'd be better off going with an Alpha Dog with more money left for a amp/dac? Or go with the now discounted Primes, with a little less to spend on an amp. I guess the question boils down to...with a portable level amp($200-300 range) will there be much of a sonic difference between the ADs and the Primes, in your opinions? Thanks...

 

[inthere]

If you go Dogs that leaves you $400+ for an an amp and if you're talking portable I don't think there's anything significantly better than a Cayin C6 which comes in at around $200. Maybe and HA-2 which costs more but the Cayin sounds better imo. 
 
So go for Primes+Cayin C6 and call it a day. 

 

[bavinck]

Just got a pair of alpha primes. The pads on these are unlike anything I have experience before. They are hard when I first put them on, not molding well to my head, especially below my ears. If I push them in the memory foam seems to mold better, and after listening with them for a bit they seem to form a seal fine. Is this normal that they are so hard to fit when first put on? They are very thick and dense, vs something I have never seen on a headphone before.

 

[Byronb]

Just got a pair of alpha primes. The pads on these are unlike anything I have experience before. They are hard when I first put them on, not molding well to my head, especially below my ears. If I push them in the memory foam seems to mold better, and after listening with them for a bit they seem to form a seal fine. Is this normal that they are so hard to fit when first put on? They are very thick and dense, vs something I have never seen on a headphone before.

Hmmm, I do not remember mine being "dense" at all. Are these new phones bavinck? Perhaps Dan has changed something. They do provide an amazing fit and comfort. 

 

[swspiers]

Just got a pair of alpha primes. The pads on these are unlike anything I have experience before. They are hard when I first put them on, not molding well to my head, especially below my ears. If I push them in the memory foam seems to mold better, and after listening with them for a bit they seem to form a seal fine. Is this normal that they are so hard to fit when first put on? They are very thick and dense, vs something I have never seen on a headphone before.

Hmmm, I do not remember mine being "dense" at all. Are these new phones bavinck? Perhaps Dan has changed something. They do provide an amazing fit and comfort. 

Yeah, mine were totally soft as well. Strange...

 

[bavinck]

Hmmm, I do not remember mine being "dense" at all. Are these new phones bavinck? Perhaps Dan has changed something. They do provide an amazing fit and comfort. 

Yes, brand new.

 

[Byronb]

Yes, brand new.

Must be a change in manufacturing. As long as they still seal and are comfortable then all is well.

 

[inthere]

Very strange, Alpha pads are extremely soft and pillowy, people rave about their comfort.

 

[longbowbbs]

  Very strange, Alpha pads are extremely soft and pillowy, people rave about their comfort.

Cold memory foam needs a bit of warmup to form properly to your head. If they were cold they would be somewhat stiff initially. They seal wonderfully when they are warm after being worn for a few minutes.

 

[bavinck]

Cold memory foam needs a bit of warmup to form properly to your head. If they were cold they would be somewhat stiff initially. They seal wonderfully when they are warm after being worn for a few minutes.

This is what I am experiencing. Thanks.

 

[longbowbbs]

 

Cold memory foam needs a bit of warmup to form properly to your head. If they were cold they would be somewhat stiff initially. They seal wonderfully when they are warm after being worn for a few minutes.

This is what I am experiencing. Thanks.

 

[JTabacs]

Took the plunge and completed the purchase on an Alpha Prime...looking forward to it!!!

 

[zachawry]

I've been thinking of selling my AP's to fund purchase of a tube amp, but I just got around to listening to them out of my new Liquid Carbon (which I've been using my Ethers on up to now), and all I can say is WOW! 
 
I guess it makes sense, because the APs are harder to drive than the Ethers, but they really, really come alive under the firepower that the LC brings to the table. I might not be able to sell then now....

 

[RKML0007]

Yeah, the LC was my first desktop/transportable class amp that allowed the Prime's to stretch its legs - super fun to get down with! I was quite happy with a DX90 for a year and a half, then lived with a Mojo for a month and thought it was sublime. You know how it goes from there, right? Gateway drugs and a slippery slope for sure. Fortunate to get one of the last LC's, but while waiting for it to ship - I was curious to see if a Master-11 would make it to my house before the LC coming all the way from mainland China. It did by a week, haha! I focused on burning in the LC first with my AP's plugged in nonstop (haven't really listened to/burned-in the Master-11 yet). The LC>AP combo straight up bumps ridiculously hard and shows no signs of quitting.