[pearljam5000]

does the k701 have enough bass with the pico?would it be a good combo for rock and metal?

 

[kugino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pearljam5000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif does the k701 have enough bass with the pico?would it be a good combo for rock and metal?

i don't know if the k701 is the headphone i'd immediately think of for rock and metal. i think the pico can provide the necessary oomph for rock and metal, but i'd probably go with a different headphone...

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kugino /img/forum/go_quote.gif i don't know if the k701 is the headphone i'd immediately think of for rock and metal. i think the pico can provide the necessary oomph for rock and metal, but i'd probably go with a different headphone...

Rock and Metal ?

Grado SR225 and Predator for less...

 

[jinp6301]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pearljam5000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif does the k701 have enough bass with the pico?would it be a good combo for rock and metal?

I heard some jeff buckley and pearl jam (

) on the pico with 600s and my 225s and I can say, they rock pretty hard.

The predator has more slam, but loses a lot of other things, like soundstage and tonality and depth etc.

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3x331m /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not sure how you had the setup, but my Predator volume knob has never been passed 9 o'clock mark with HD650 or HD600, unless I'd want to pierce my eardrums.

As I already stated Fujitsu P1610 + Foobar 2000 + FLAC. Some of my classical music songs are very quiet, particularly the reference DSD mastered stuff. Must have been recorded at a very low level. It is significantly quieter than other music I have.


Quote:

My workstation uses the ASUS P35 which is not very clean. I had noise problem with the Corda Move on this same workstation. However, I found the Predator sound is as clean as the Rudistor NKK-01SE. I don't benchmark DAC, but I found that the Predator noise floor is as good as the Rudistor NKK-01SE. Anyway, the Predator price is less than half the price of the NKK-01SE. Again, I don't compare DACs. I only compare the sound quality, because I only see systems.

I compared the sound quality coming out the DAC's. But despite just the musical ability, in my portable system, the Predator's noise level was completely unacceptable.


Quote:

The Noise on the Corda Move is confirmed by Jan. It can be very bad on some PC/laptop, depending on the integrated mobo. I also have the Bithead. As the amp, the Bithead don't stand against the Move, Predator, or Pico, but I never had any noise issue with the Bithead no matter the source.

Again, it can be a crap shoot depending on your system. In this case, the Predator didn't do well with my Fujitsu.

-Ed

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, I have been around high end stereo long enough and have built enough systems and tube equipment to know that loudness does not denote quality so I should clarify that the Predator goes beyond what I can stand to hear in volume and still maintains control without distortion in the frequency range. I don't doubt that what heard but my experience with the amp is different. I guess that is part of what makes much of the discourse we see here interesting and informative.

I'm not talking purely about distortion here. I'm talking overall quality.

I'll use the K1000 example again. The Pico is actually powerful enough to drive them without clipping (as long as you don't totally crank them to 11 with some songs). But the soundstage is compressed and overall tonality is rather flat. At first it sounds good, but then after you compare it with a better amp, you realize what you were missing.

That said, since I never realistically expected either the Pico or Predator to properly drive the K1000's, I don't care all that much about the amplifier components. It's the USB DAC I care about. And perhaps if the Predator hadn't been hissing so much, I could've given it a better comparison. But the difference in detail, imaging, and soundstage were fairly easy to distinguish.

-Ed

 

[jamato8]

Sure I understand. I don't know why the Predator was hissing so much. I have been comparing it today to my Monica II dac, Reference amp and other amps just to make sure of what I am hearing and what I have stated I have heard. No hiss and good detail and good depth, even on higher volumes with quality sound but I can get the Predator to clip with bass heavy music but it is too loud for me to listen to. At loud levels like on Pink Floyd's DSM, I get great depth and width and very enjoyable sound. I can see that hiss would definitely cover up sound quality. I don't know what to make of the hiss since nothing I have hooked the Predator up to has caused that.

 

[3x331m]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif As I already stated Fujitsu P1610 + Foobar 2000 + FLAC. Some of my classical music songs are very quiet, particularly the reference DSD mastered stuff. Must have been recorded at a very low level. It is significantly quieter than other music I have. I compared the sound quality coming out the DAC's. But despite just the musical ability, in my portable system, the Predator's noise level was completely unacceptable. Again, it can be a crap shoot depending on your system. In this case, the Predator didn't do well with my Fujitsu. -Ed

No offense.

I can ignore your statements. However, I think you could have made your statements a bit more neutral when you compare the 2 amps. There were quite a few assumptions when you try to put down an amp based entirely on the Fujitsu alone. I know Fujitsu PC/laptop products and would not make comments on their quality.

Anyway, your statements made me think that you're a fanatic Pico fanboy, or an associate of Headamp.

I'm sorry if my statements are extreme, but I won't crap this thread at personal level.

 

[akwok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3x331m /img/forum/go_quote.gif No offense. I can ignore your statements. However, I think you could have made your statements a bit more neutral when you compare the 2 amps. There were quite a few assumptions when you try to put down an amp based entirely on the Fujitsu alone. I know Fujitsu PC/laptop products and would not make comments on their quality.

Are you saying that the computer used for the USB interface actually matters?

Quote:

Anyway, your statements made me think that you're a fanatic Pico fanboy, or an associate of Headamp. I'm sorry if my statements are extreme, but I won't crap this thread at personal level.

Are you sure you haven't crapped (on) this thread already?

 

[grawk]

Let me get this straight. Edwood (a well respected and long term member) posts his impressions based on gear he heard, and because it doesn't match what you want it to be, he's biased and works for headamp? Ok, right.

 

[jamato8]

I think some of the feelings expressed relate to the knowledge that it would be doubtful that either Ray or Justin would produce an amp that would deviate so far from what would be acceptable in the "audiophile" world or anywhere else. I don't think it would get out the door. If someone had said the Predator was great but when I listened to the Pico, there was so much hiss that acceptable sound reproduction is very questionable, I would not assume that everything was correct in the comparison. If I read that, even if I hadn't heard the Pico, I would really question whether something was not wrong with the pairing or the unit being used and having read comments by other people that never mentioned the hiss would even bring more into suspect the correct functioning of unit or pairing.

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3x331m /img/forum/go_quote.gif No offense. I can ignore your statements. However, I think you could have made your statements a bit more neutral when you compare the 2 amps. There were quite a few assumptions when you try to put down an amp based entirely on the Fujitsu alone. I know Fujitsu PC/laptop products and would not make comments on their quality. Anyway, your statements made me think that you're a fanatic Pico fanboy, or an associate of Headamp. I'm sorry if my statements are extreme, but I won't crap this thread at personal level.

Oh, the irony.

Sorry, bud. I'm not going to fall for the team fanboy argument camp. I am friends with both Ray and Justin, I've hung out with them in person several times, not just some abstract customer/manufacturer relationship. Remember, Ray is not his products, nor is Justin. I have constructive criticism for both products, but I'm not going to join in on the ridiculous fanatic fanboy fest.

-Ed

 

[foo_me]

3x331m, it's amazingly funny that someone who has actually heard both posts his impressions and people who haven't heard both criticize it.
And his impressions didn't seem unbalanced at all...just his opinion.

I truly just don't get it...Ed's irony X2

(and yeah, you've already crapped on it by insinuating it and it seems like that was your intent else why even write it)

 

[Edwood]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think some of the feelings expressed relate to the knowledge that it would be doubtful that either Ray or Justin would produce an amp that would deviate so far from what would be acceptable in the "audiophile" world or anywhere else. I don't think it would get out the door. If someone had said the Predator was great but when I listened to the Pico, there was so much hiss that acceptable sound reproduction is very questionable, I would not assume that everything was correct in the comparison. If I read that, even if I hadn't heard the Pico, I would really question whether something was not wrong with the pairing or the unit being used and having read comments by other people that never mentioned the hiss would even bring more into suspect the correct functioning of unit or pairing.

USB is a crap shoot. Computers are notoriously noisy systems, electrically. All I was stating was my own personal observation in a single instance on a single computer.

Talking with Jude, he had no problems with the Predator's USB DAC having loud hissing in his computers. I'm sure the Predator wouldn't hiss with all of my computers (I have a LOT of computers, I'd be sure to find one that didn't have problems) So who knows, maybe only my Fujitsu P1610 is the only one that causes hissing with the Predator. Or not. I don't know. But hissing from the USB input is a legitimate concern. And you can bet I'll be posting about hissing in my Pico if/when I hear it. So far with about a dozen computers I've tried it with, no louder hissing.

-Ed

 

[slwiser]

The computer I have now works very well with USB but the last one was another story.