coolshot
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2006
- Posts
- 600
- Likes
- 10
purging my rig of all credit purchases and starting from scratch, including my k1000 and all my AT cans, i wanted something cheap as a reference point in amps. I've had 9 various headphones and the only one that i have kept were the the senn HD201, as they dont sound like crap and give a tremendous value. It was my one of my first cans and still remains my point of reference to anything new, better or worse. They have been used and abused but still remain strong.
The original master i think will always be in my rig as point of reference just like my HD201. At its $210 shipped price point, you'd be very hard pressed to find a solid state value like this one. I never got the chance to meet Ping of AAA Audio at the national meet where i was shopping for an amp. I feel rediculous passing up his table since out of listening to all of the amps out there from woo,SP,HR,headamp etc, i actually went and got this.
My goal was basically to find basic amplification for my headphone rig in light of spending $2k on my speaker rig only weeks earlier. So now im thinking, what do i want? Well i know i want clean sound, low noise, low heat and most of all, CHEAP! A quick phone call to ping at AAA audio and there,a box on my doorstep from eastcoast to here in CA in a week. Ping has good customer service as he'll return calls to you even if you dont leave a message like me. All my emails were responded to promptly as well. I know a lot of people value customer service just as much at the amp itself. No worries here.
build quality is solid. The top and bottom are a glossy black plastic, maybe lexan. The sides of the unit are some type of metal, probably anodized aluminum. The seperate power supply is some extruded metal again probably aluminum with the lexan faceplates. This unit is OP amp designed and runs cool, you can leave it on all day and it will never feel hotter than room temp.All markings are engraved, no cheap rub off lettering here. The amp and psu both have rubber feet.
Ok on to the sound. I am pleasantly suprised. After hearing horrid headphone outs of recievers this is a breath of freash air. Clean,clear and dynamic. I often use my 32ohm dt770 manufacture straight out of my x-fi and this is what amplification should be. To me, it sounds very transparent. I dont detect any coloration or worse the addition of a signature of being cold and shrill sometimes associated with solid state amps. My dt770 are not siblant at all and im glad to say they still arent even at louder volumes with the addition of this amp. With the amp and source on, its dead quiet. With no music playing, you can turn the dial all the way left to right and not a single hint of hiss or white noise.
Im not going to go into detail about soundstage,imaging or resolution. To me, the master doesnt add any of that at all. I feel thats more of the source and headphones job. I want the amp to provide clean power without adding anything to the mix. There is a slight improvement in dynamics and extention both ways, but I attribute that to increased power to the drivers, allowing them to do their job better with more authority. The master is definately in the same class as wharfedale speakers and the AT AD2000, improvement in sound quality by not being intrusive. You wont find these totally ruing the chain system by sticking out like a sore thumb.
At 210 shipped what competetion the does the original master have? There are tons of sub $200 tube amps like the lunchbox and little dot II++, but its had to find quality Solid state at this price short of DYI. I recommend it to anyone just starting out (or starting all over again) or anyone looking for a secondary work/bedside rig.
here are some pics. Sorry i didnt have time to wipe and dust everthing down.
The original master i think will always be in my rig as point of reference just like my HD201. At its $210 shipped price point, you'd be very hard pressed to find a solid state value like this one. I never got the chance to meet Ping of AAA Audio at the national meet where i was shopping for an amp. I feel rediculous passing up his table since out of listening to all of the amps out there from woo,SP,HR,headamp etc, i actually went and got this.
My goal was basically to find basic amplification for my headphone rig in light of spending $2k on my speaker rig only weeks earlier. So now im thinking, what do i want? Well i know i want clean sound, low noise, low heat and most of all, CHEAP! A quick phone call to ping at AAA audio and there,a box on my doorstep from eastcoast to here in CA in a week. Ping has good customer service as he'll return calls to you even if you dont leave a message like me. All my emails were responded to promptly as well. I know a lot of people value customer service just as much at the amp itself. No worries here.
build quality is solid. The top and bottom are a glossy black plastic, maybe lexan. The sides of the unit are some type of metal, probably anodized aluminum. The seperate power supply is some extruded metal again probably aluminum with the lexan faceplates. This unit is OP amp designed and runs cool, you can leave it on all day and it will never feel hotter than room temp.All markings are engraved, no cheap rub off lettering here. The amp and psu both have rubber feet.
Ok on to the sound. I am pleasantly suprised. After hearing horrid headphone outs of recievers this is a breath of freash air. Clean,clear and dynamic. I often use my 32ohm dt770 manufacture straight out of my x-fi and this is what amplification should be. To me, it sounds very transparent. I dont detect any coloration or worse the addition of a signature of being cold and shrill sometimes associated with solid state amps. My dt770 are not siblant at all and im glad to say they still arent even at louder volumes with the addition of this amp. With the amp and source on, its dead quiet. With no music playing, you can turn the dial all the way left to right and not a single hint of hiss or white noise.
Im not going to go into detail about soundstage,imaging or resolution. To me, the master doesnt add any of that at all. I feel thats more of the source and headphones job. I want the amp to provide clean power without adding anything to the mix. There is a slight improvement in dynamics and extention both ways, but I attribute that to increased power to the drivers, allowing them to do their job better with more authority. The master is definately in the same class as wharfedale speakers and the AT AD2000, improvement in sound quality by not being intrusive. You wont find these totally ruing the chain system by sticking out like a sore thumb.
At 210 shipped what competetion the does the original master have? There are tons of sub $200 tube amps like the lunchbox and little dot II++, but its had to find quality Solid state at this price short of DYI. I recommend it to anyone just starting out (or starting all over again) or anyone looking for a secondary work/bedside rig.
here are some pics. Sorry i didnt have time to wipe and dust everthing down.
