New, Burson Playmate 9038 DAC, 2Wpc HeadAmp, Preamp, Changeable opamps.
Feb 12, 2019 at 4:01 AM Post #198 of 602
Can you guys give me some input? What volume do you use when listening to your Sennheiser 650s or HE-400i?
With the HD650 around 40 on high gain, depends on which kind of music listening.
IMO the gain/volume is much better implemented in the Playmate than in the Play. The Play was hitting the headroom much too soon. The Playmate allows for finer gradation.
 
Feb 12, 2019 at 5:40 AM Post #199 of 602
This is subjective - it depends on your ears and ears of others.
Using same player and same headphones I use a lower volume compared with a friend of mine who set the volume about 4 times more. So there is no use to ask other people.
Just use the volume most convenient to your ears.
 
Feb 12, 2019 at 6:07 AM Post #200 of 602
It might worth to actually measure the output RMS voltage with volume to 50% and 2V RMS (-0dBFS) sinewave playing on both PLAY and PLAYMATE.
However, given the adjustable gain from the PLAYMATE, I guess there should be no issue with handling all cans perfectly.
 
Feb 13, 2019 at 1:59 AM Post #201 of 602
Got my Muses 8920 and its working again, sounds great with the Muses. One of the V6 vivids was the problem and Burson is sending a replacement.

With my Sennheiser Hd6xx I am anywhere from 38-49 on high gain but I am using a EQ with a -7DB output. Plenty of power for a 650. Its a excellent AMP for the 650, very clean sounding and doesnt have the weird artificial edge that my Schiit Magni has at times.

I am a bit disappointed with the noise levels with very sensitive headphones, as there is some hiss with my Koss Porta Pros. Its not terribly loud but I was hoping for no hiss with sensitive low impedance headphones. Its definitely a large improvement over the Play which had quite loud hiss with sensitive headphones and even my 6xx got some hiss off it. Switiching to low gain makes no difference in the hiss either.
 
Feb 13, 2019 at 4:47 AM Post #203 of 602
Switching low/high gain doesn't change the noise level - it's always the same, audible but not annyoying. I have a similar feeling about sensitive headphones and noise level. Why is that? The switchable gain doesn't mean a thing while not decreasing noise level with sensitive headphones :frowning2:
I discovered that with V6 op-amps the noise is a little bit louder than with (for example) LME49990x2 and LME49720 replacement. V6 offers better sound of course. I think there is less elements on the internal audio path in fully discrete op-amps, and the sound goes through with more noice and is purer as well. I haven't found a better sounding op-amps than V6's but their disadvantage is the noise lvl in thi lvl.
...but I might be wrong! This is just my opinion form my experience.
Cheers,
Robert
 
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Feb 13, 2019 at 8:12 AM Post #205 of 602
Black background with AKG K712 pro (62 ohm), AKG K271 (55 ohm), Beyers DT990 pros (250 ohm).
Audible noise with RHA MA390 (16 ohm) and barely audible with Superlux 681, and soon I will be testing Fiio FH5 (19 ohm) which is multi-driver but stil IEM - will let you know.
 
Feb 13, 2019 at 8:35 AM Post #206 of 602
FH5 is "das king" for listening the background noise indeed:

Sensitivity 112 dB/mW
Impedance 19 Ω

My 16 Ohms Superlux IEM of only 100dB SPL are silent if compare with the FH5. :)

So, looking further for your test. Also, even Objective2 headamp might have background noise when paired with FH5. :)
 
Feb 13, 2019 at 3:01 PM Post #208 of 602
Close Up Sound Meter.jpg
Sound Meter HE-400i.jpg
 
Feb 14, 2019 at 12:51 PM Post #209 of 602
It might worth to actually measure the output RMS voltage with volume to 50% and 2V RMS (-0dBFS) sinewave playing on both PLAY and PLAYMATE.
However, given the adjustable gain from the PLAYMATE, I guess there should be no issue with handling all cans perfectly.
How do I measure this? I think there is a problem with my Playmate's power output. I know that Burson has said that the steps are smaller so it takes more steps to achieve similar volumes as on the Play but I cranked my Playmate up 99 this morning and it wasn't so overpowering that I couldn't continue to listen to it. I remember the Play reaching volumes that I could not bare to listen to. I have the gain on high.
 

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