[project86]

  Hah!  You're the one who bailed out on the long winded PMs first... 

 
Oh wait.  Were you talking about me?  I thought PETERCALV was the one who got us confused.

 
I didn't bail, I'm still writing it.... have a Word document saved. 
 
Kidding. 

 

[jacal01]

Oh I know.  You're just titling it your review.
 
Like uncredited collaboration.
 
And you know I'm just kidding. 

 

[PETERCALV]

  Hah!  You're the one who bailed out on the long winded PMs first... 

 
Oh wait.  Were you talking about me?  I thought PETERCALV was the one who got us confused.

 
I'm good at confusing people, it's what I do for a living. Love the accommodation, by the way...

 

[Currawong]

 

  Hah!  You're the one who bailed out on the long winded PMs first... 

 
Oh wait.  Were you talking about me?  I thought PETERCALV was the one who got us confused.

 
I didn't bail, I'm still writing it.... have a Word document saved. 
 
Kidding. 

 
Slightly OT, but I use Evernote because I have two computers and an iPad I can write on. Easier to keep track of it all that way.

 

[project86]

   
Slightly OT, but I use Evernote because I have two computers and an iPad I can write on. Easier to keep track of it all that way.

 
I recently checked Evernote out - very impressive, full featured software, but I just didn't use it much. I actually prefer (and I realize how dumb this sounds) to write most stuff in gmail. It saves everything for me on the fly, and is easily accessed from any of my devices without needing to install an app. Chrome has built-in spell check so I'm really not missing much. I'll bust out Word once in a while for some more advanced formatting but generally it's gmail 99% of the time. Goofy right?

 

[jacal01]

The QMA800 performed admirably with my TH900 headphones during my listening sessions this weekend. No distortion or bloat detected at about the 9 o'clock position. It's starting to appear like current loop amp outputs are fairly impedance friendly in general, as advertised.
 
The volume tho is pretty sensitive in that region, so finding that aural sweet spot for low impedance (or more correctly, low power) headphones and IEMs may take some knob micro-management. 

 

[jacal01]

I tried my LCD-2.2s last night with the QMA800. A glorious time was had by all.  

 
Also at approximately the 9 o'clock position, which bodes well for the HE-6. Tho in retrospect the TH900s may have been at 8:30 or even 8 o'clock. Most of the volume increase, at least for the lower impedance headphones, seems to be in this area. Or at least my listening comfort zone. But quite sensitive, and definitely non-linear.
 
'Ware the bloom; protect the ear hair cells. Truly the sirens' seduction.
 
The LCDs may actually be more euphonic with the CMA800 than the TH900s, I think.

 

[project86]

  I tried my LCD-2.2s last night with the QMA800. A glorious time was had by all.  

 
Also at approximately the 9 o'clock position, which bodes well for the HE-6. Tho in retrospect the TH900s may have been at 8:30 or even 8 o'clock. Most of the volume increase, at least for the lower impedance headphones, seems to be in this area. Or at least my listening comfort zone. But quite sensitive, and definitely non-linear.
 
'Ware the bloom; protect the ear hair cells. Truly the sirens' seduction.
 
The LCDs may actually be more euphonic with the CMA800 than the TH900s, I think.

 
Agree! LCD-2.2 is a great match, as is HE-500 and Thunderpants. I'll have an HE-6 and Alpha Dogs here soon enough, so we'll see how those do. 

 

[PETERCALV]

Just a quick update that Questyle will be sending me a replacement CMA800 after the current Chinese Bank Holiday. They tell me it is a modified design with extra outputs (don't know what yet) and a mono switch.
 
I will keep you posted when it arrives.

 

[project86]

  Just a quick update that Questyle will be sending me a replacement CMA800 after the current Chinese Bank Holiday. They tell me it is a modified design with extra outputs (don't know what yet) and a mono switch.
 
I will keep you posted when it arrives.

 
 
That's good to hear. They had mentioned a balanced option as an upcoming model so perhaps that's what they refer to. 
 
I've got an HE-6 on the way and can't wait to try it with my CMA800. Will it have enough juice to do the job? We'll see. 

 

[jacal01]

  Just a quick update that Questyle will be sending me a replacement CMA800 after the current Chinese Bank Holiday. They tell me it is a modified design with extra outputs (don't know what yet) and a mono switch.
 
I will keep you posted when it arrives.

 
It might be a lower impedance SE output like I was whinging to Alden about in the beginning.  If it's the unmeasurable distortion model upgrade, well then you've hit the jackpot. 

 
But I doubt it.  It's good though that you'll end up with a brand new replacement model with the latest refinements.
 
EDIT:  Just grokked the mono switch remark.  Maybe it is the balanced model after all.

 

[project86]

Mention of the mono switch brings to mind the Matrix Quattro balanced amp. Dual 1/4" jacks, can be used like a normal amp if you want. But use an adapter to connect the dual 1/4" jacks to 4-pin XLR (or dual 3-pin XLR if you want) and the device can become a true balanced amp, driving each channel separately. 
 
I'm just guessing but that's one possibility. Resonessence Labs does it with their Invicta DAC/amp as well, and it works great. 

 

[jacal01]

The combo 1/4" TRS/3-pin XLR jacks would work well then in that instance, plus the switch.

 

[project86]

  The combo 1/4" TRS/3-pin XLR jacks would work well then in that instance, plus the switch.

 
 
True, but I loath having those dual massive XLR jacks on a headphone. Maybe it's just me. 

 

[jacal01]

I second that emotion.  I've got the 4-pin XLR jack on my CEntrance M8 configuration for that reason.  I noticed, tho, that the new Cavalli Liquid Gold production model is using them (3-pin XLR/TRS combo jacks).
 
EDIT:  I just watched Jude's CanJam sneak preview.  The LAu amp has both (2 x 3-pin XLR/TRS combo + 4-pin XLR).