Predator vs. Pico?

[OptionTrader]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ditto...is this Ray's first venture in the DAC world, by the way?

AFAIK it is.

 

[tnmike1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Filburt /img/forum/go_quote.gif Will be interesting to see your impressions, wake.

of which? Amp or baby?

 

[basman]

I'm having a difficulty also between these 2 amps coz now a lot of positive feedback from Pico but judging by means of my preference I'm leaning to Predator due to its fewer components, almost symmetrical parts layout and separate modules for amp and dac. But Picos chips still big factor. If I can only AB'd them with my own ears it would not be difficult to choose between the two.

oh my....oh my goodness.

 

[wakeride74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by basman /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm having a difficulty also between these 2 amps coz now a lot of positive feedback from Pico but judging by means of my preference I'm leaning to Predator due to its fewer components, almost symmetrical parts layout and separate modules for amp and dac. But Picos chips still big factor. If I can only AB'd them with my own ears it would not be difficult to choose between the two. oh my....oh my goodness.

I know next to nothing about that stuff so I have no plans to pop the top of either one, it would mean nothing to me. All I care about is how they sound with the headphones I use and I could care less about the people that want to argue over curcuit design or chip shoice, etc.

Synergy is the key thing... take the Lisa for example. I have said on a few occasions that I would stack it up to the HR-2 with confidence it could hold its own quite well. On the same token I did not feel it had a special synergy with the UE-11 so I got rid of it and got a Hornet which I felt worked better with those headphones. Granted there were still some things I missed about the SQ of the Lisa but not enough to regret my decision.

Now that I have the Pico I am super content with everything I am hearing from it and more than impressed with the dac section. Once I get the Predator I would imagine that the differences are going to be more a matter of flavor and synergy. This is such a matter of tastes it almost makes it impossible to buy with much confidence other than that you are buying a quality product. I am a good example of “out of the norm” as I prefer the PS-1 to the R10, I like the UM2 over the E500 but the E4C over the E500 as well, I like the WA5 over the B52, I like the Hornet over the PRII (and even the Lisa with the UE-11’s). The list goes on and on but the point remains that all opinions here should be taken with a big grain of salt and serious consideration of the tastes preferred by the one posting the review as well as their taste in how they prefer the music to be presented and of course what music and headphones are being used. Just my 2¢

 

[flashbak]

Totally agree, everyone in the end must judge for themselves with their own ears!

 

[Jaw007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhd812 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Do what i am doing now,... find a older lonely rich woman, well i got an add in the paper for one..so far no replies. anyone know of any friends or family? i will give you 10% of what i get.. I am working on two younger ladies with rich family. starting them out with something small like a Rolex sea dweller then plan on working my way up to a Bentley as my top goal. my problem is the younger ones never want to give out, and i am talking about the money! this plan is better then selling my kidney! just got to find the right Mark then i dig.

Find a nurse ,they make plenty money!LOL

 

[grawk]

nurses don't make bentley money

 

[Jaw007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp11801 /img/forum/go_quote.gif sure they look at price when designing any amp as you have to consider the market for a product you are about to invest their time and money into. If either designed a product out of step with the market they would take a loss. It's marketing 101 to understand the market and design products we want and at a price that either defines a new high and justifies the price or serves a function at a lower cost to work off the market created by the leader

I just wonder if the amps are designed by someone other then the seller,with a huge mark up?And what are the seller's qualifications in being able to design amps,if they really do!

 

[grawk]

Justin very definitely designed the pico. The qualification to be able to design the amps in question is your ears. Listen, and if you like them, they're qualified. Amp designs aren't like amusment park safety engineering.

 

[jlingo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Synergy is the key thing... take the Lisa for example. I have said on a few occasions that I would stack it up to the HR-2 with confidence it could hold its own quite well. On the same token I did not feel it had a special synergy with the UE-11 so I got rid of it and got a Hornet which I felt worked better with those headphones. Granted there were still some things I missed about the SQ of the Lisa but not enough to regret my decision.

LISA actually sounds good with UE11, the only the problem is the hiss with UE11. and if you put attenuator in between, it changed the character of UE11, less spatial image and darker sound. :/I prefer UE11 straight of LISA but the hiss really drove me crazy. Oh well.

At the moment due to the hiss problem with LISA I'm using predator with UE11 produces beautiful effortless midrange which is quite addicting IMO.

 

[Jaw007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Justin very definitely designed the pico. The qualification to be able to design the amps in question is your ears. Listen, and if you like them, they're qualified. Amp designs aren't like amusment park safety engineering.

I believe electronic engineering would have to be part of designing circuits,and any electronic instruments!

 

[grawk]

Do results or degrees matter more in terms of qualification to design amplifiers? The theory involved in designing amplifiers isn't terribly difficult, and the problems that result from a design that doesn't match what they teach in school are unlikely to result in any major problems in real life. There's a reason why no one sells audio engineer malpractice insurance.

 

[wakeride74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlingo /img/forum/go_quote.gif LISA actually sounds good with UE11, the only the problem is the hiss with UE11. and if you put attenuator in between, it changed the character of UE11, less spatial image and darker sound. :/I prefer UE11 straight of LISA but the hiss really drove me crazy. Oh well. At the moment due to the hiss problem with LISA I'm using predator with UE11 produces beautiful effortless midrange which is quite addicting IMO.

Here's a perfect example. Two guys with the same gear but different tastes and ears. If the Predator sounds similar to the Hornet I could understand why you would prefer it to the Lisa and we'd be on the same page there. I totally agree about the background hiss... it could be very distracting with certain music.

 

[red sox 7327]

Do you guys know what the return policy is for both Justin and Ray?

 

[grawk]

30 days