lockjaw
100+ Head-Fier
Hey Head-Fi-rs! I'm having a rare family-free day so figured I would do something fun... AB-ing HF gear and drinking coffee. As close to paradise as there is, at least when you're 45 years old with three young kids and work in health care.
I've recently gone on a spending spree with the hopes of figuring out what my tastes are in the realm of headphones and amps. Just so you know where I'm coming from, my passion has always been home theater and high-end 2 channel audio. My eventual favorites based on cost/performance are McIntosh front end and Von Schweikert speakers. Since I never get to use the HT room, I've been happily relegated to headphones, meaning just another opportunity to spend more money on HiFi stuff
.
Spending spree includes: (Ebay and Audiogon Rule) I went for stuff that had universally good reviews and what seems a good cost/performance.
MrSpeakers Alpha Prime HFs
Sennheisr HD800s
AudioLab MDAC
Benchmark Dac1
Lehmann Black Cube Linear amp
Ray Samuels Raptor tube amp.
I've tried everything in just about every combination, so here are some thoughts. I welcome any and all opinions as I have to RE-BAY and Audiogon-off what I don't keep.
DACS:
Comparing the MDAC and DAC1 didn't take too long. The MDAC is FAR better. I don't understand how Ken Rockwell could give the DAC1 such a glowing review?? It's a real nice piece, very solidly made with tons of inputs/outputs and a decent integrated HF amp. It just sounds grainy with an average sound stage and kind of flat sounding overall. For 500 bucks used on EBAY, it would be great for PC speakers or for one getting into higher end audio. The MDAC is an entire different animal. Wonderful detail, multiple software filters, great USB connectivity, nice display. One could easily make this a centerpiece for an entire system, especially with the included remote. For kicks I ABd it also with my OPPO 95. Similar sound, not surprising as they both use Saber chips (I think they do). I even compared it to my McIntosh Pre-pro's DAC. Could barley tell the difference, even in the reference room. That says a lot about a DAC that goes for under a grand. I got my on AGON for 650.
Alpha Primes vs HD800s
Ok, this is a ridiculous comparison given they are totally different types of headphones. I love them both, but for different reasons. If they didn't cost about a grand each I would keep them both. The Primes are rich sounding with deep clean bass, smoooooth frequency response, never fatiguing, cRaZy CoMfOrTaBLe!!! What I don't like is the smaller sound stage, at least when compared to the HD800s (well, duh, I know), also I find they are slightly less detailed. One can listen to these things literally all day long. Being closed back, nobody in the room cares how loudly I play them. The HD800s shine in their unforgiving detail (avoid bad recordings), insane sound stage, and comfort. They fall short in the bass department and tend to be overly bright (or is that detail I'm hearing?). No, they really are bright... somewhat tamed with the Anaxilus mod and tubes. I'm a Jazz and classical guy, thus my decision to keep the HD800s. My buddy is a rock and roller and easily preferred the Primes. I'm trying to convince him he needs to buy them.. until then, they've been listed on Audiogon and EBAY.
MAIN EVENT
Of all this gear I've been playing with, the amp seems to make the most difference in the overall sound quality, quite dramatically when comparing solid state vs. tube. Changing DACs was noticeable with milder changes in levels of detail, tone, balance, and sound stage.
Lehmann audio did a great job with with Black Cube, it's solidly made with top notch components, even the volume pot screams quality. RCA in and outs populate the back allowing one to use it as a pre-amp. The sound is super clean and detailed with excellent treble and mids. The bass is good but doesn't extend as low as I would like. The bass it does produce is tight and controlled. I compared it to the integrated HF amps in the DAC1 and MDAC, no comparison. Doing and AB was like jumping in a cold swimming pool. Please! plug me back into the Lehmann!!!... ahh, that's better. The hype and glowing reviews this amp has garnered are well deserved. It's so good a Chinese company decided to copy it in its entirety, known at the "Lovely Cube." I'm not kidding, can't make schiit like that up. I'm sure all the components are sub-par. Just get the Lehmann! I bought cheap Chinese servos for my RC planes and paid the price.
The Raptor
This is a gorgeous tube amp! Sold build quality all around. It has two separate RCA inputs so one can toggle between two devices. The sounds is totally different to the Lehmann as expected with tubes. What struck me is the incredible deep bass this little amp produces, even with my HD800s, which tend to be bass shy. The sound stage opens up like crazy. The hard detailed edges you hear with the Lehmann as smoothed out making the HD800 less fatiguing and overall more enjoyable. Did I mention the bass! It's perhaps a little boomier than the Lehmann but you get tons more of it. My only concern is a slight loss off high frequency detail like the shimmer of cymbals or micro-detail of a bow across a violin string. If you're addicted to mico-detail, I actually think the solid state amp is better. If you're looking for a way to improve the HD800s shortcomings, tubes really help with better base extension and smoothing some of the harsh treble.
At this moment I can't decide which amp I'm keeping. For rock music it's the Raptor all the way, not even close... for classical the Lehmann shines. For Jazz, I'm not sure yet. Miles' horn will destroy your tympanic membranes listening to the HD800s + Lehmann amp. I dare say you have to listen to both amps or at least a solid state vs tube. Once you figure out your sound preference, both of these amps are great. The Raptor goes for 1175, totally worth the price and you can role some tubes, and it looks freaking cool as hell. The Lehmann is a classic and goes for about the same as the Raptor, you can get a deal on the used market. Buying gear without trying in person is really difficult now that all the HiFi stores are going/gone out of business. I've found reading other people's reviews can be difficult when 50% rave and the other say it's crap. In many cases reviewers in boths camps haven't even listened to the stuff let alone owned both at the same time. Personally, I'm all about price/performance and can thus vouch for the Alpha Primes, HD800s, and both amps. If only I could keep all of them without divorce court. I threw in a few pics of my home theater just to share.
I've recently gone on a spending spree with the hopes of figuring out what my tastes are in the realm of headphones and amps. Just so you know where I'm coming from, my passion has always been home theater and high-end 2 channel audio. My eventual favorites based on cost/performance are McIntosh front end and Von Schweikert speakers. Since I never get to use the HT room, I've been happily relegated to headphones, meaning just another opportunity to spend more money on HiFi stuff
.Spending spree includes: (Ebay and Audiogon Rule) I went for stuff that had universally good reviews and what seems a good cost/performance.
MrSpeakers Alpha Prime HFs
Sennheisr HD800s
AudioLab MDAC
Benchmark Dac1
Lehmann Black Cube Linear amp
Ray Samuels Raptor tube amp.
I've tried everything in just about every combination, so here are some thoughts. I welcome any and all opinions as I have to RE-BAY and Audiogon-off what I don't keep.
DACS:
Comparing the MDAC and DAC1 didn't take too long. The MDAC is FAR better. I don't understand how Ken Rockwell could give the DAC1 such a glowing review?? It's a real nice piece, very solidly made with tons of inputs/outputs and a decent integrated HF amp. It just sounds grainy with an average sound stage and kind of flat sounding overall. For 500 bucks used on EBAY, it would be great for PC speakers or for one getting into higher end audio. The MDAC is an entire different animal. Wonderful detail, multiple software filters, great USB connectivity, nice display. One could easily make this a centerpiece for an entire system, especially with the included remote. For kicks I ABd it also with my OPPO 95. Similar sound, not surprising as they both use Saber chips (I think they do). I even compared it to my McIntosh Pre-pro's DAC. Could barley tell the difference, even in the reference room. That says a lot about a DAC that goes for under a grand. I got my on AGON for 650.
Alpha Primes vs HD800s
Ok, this is a ridiculous comparison given they are totally different types of headphones. I love them both, but for different reasons. If they didn't cost about a grand each I would keep them both. The Primes are rich sounding with deep clean bass, smoooooth frequency response, never fatiguing, cRaZy CoMfOrTaBLe!!! What I don't like is the smaller sound stage, at least when compared to the HD800s (well, duh, I know), also I find they are slightly less detailed. One can listen to these things literally all day long. Being closed back, nobody in the room cares how loudly I play them. The HD800s shine in their unforgiving detail (avoid bad recordings), insane sound stage, and comfort. They fall short in the bass department and tend to be overly bright (or is that detail I'm hearing?). No, they really are bright... somewhat tamed with the Anaxilus mod and tubes. I'm a Jazz and classical guy, thus my decision to keep the HD800s. My buddy is a rock and roller and easily preferred the Primes. I'm trying to convince him he needs to buy them.. until then, they've been listed on Audiogon and EBAY.
MAIN EVENT
Of all this gear I've been playing with, the amp seems to make the most difference in the overall sound quality, quite dramatically when comparing solid state vs. tube. Changing DACs was noticeable with milder changes in levels of detail, tone, balance, and sound stage.
Lehmann audio did a great job with with Black Cube, it's solidly made with top notch components, even the volume pot screams quality. RCA in and outs populate the back allowing one to use it as a pre-amp. The sound is super clean and detailed with excellent treble and mids. The bass is good but doesn't extend as low as I would like. The bass it does produce is tight and controlled. I compared it to the integrated HF amps in the DAC1 and MDAC, no comparison. Doing and AB was like jumping in a cold swimming pool. Please! plug me back into the Lehmann!!!... ahh, that's better. The hype and glowing reviews this amp has garnered are well deserved. It's so good a Chinese company decided to copy it in its entirety, known at the "Lovely Cube." I'm not kidding, can't make schiit like that up. I'm sure all the components are sub-par. Just get the Lehmann! I bought cheap Chinese servos for my RC planes and paid the price.
The Raptor
This is a gorgeous tube amp! Sold build quality all around. It has two separate RCA inputs so one can toggle between two devices. The sounds is totally different to the Lehmann as expected with tubes. What struck me is the incredible deep bass this little amp produces, even with my HD800s, which tend to be bass shy. The sound stage opens up like crazy. The hard detailed edges you hear with the Lehmann as smoothed out making the HD800 less fatiguing and overall more enjoyable. Did I mention the bass! It's perhaps a little boomier than the Lehmann but you get tons more of it. My only concern is a slight loss off high frequency detail like the shimmer of cymbals or micro-detail of a bow across a violin string. If you're addicted to mico-detail, I actually think the solid state amp is better. If you're looking for a way to improve the HD800s shortcomings, tubes really help with better base extension and smoothing some of the harsh treble.
At this moment I can't decide which amp I'm keeping. For rock music it's the Raptor all the way, not even close... for classical the Lehmann shines. For Jazz, I'm not sure yet. Miles' horn will destroy your tympanic membranes listening to the HD800s + Lehmann amp. I dare say you have to listen to both amps or at least a solid state vs tube. Once you figure out your sound preference, both of these amps are great. The Raptor goes for 1175, totally worth the price and you can role some tubes, and it looks freaking cool as hell. The Lehmann is a classic and goes for about the same as the Raptor, you can get a deal on the used market. Buying gear without trying in person is really difficult now that all the HiFi stores are going/gone out of business. I've found reading other people's reviews can be difficult when 50% rave and the other say it's crap. In many cases reviewers in boths camps haven't even listened to the stuff let alone owned both at the same time. Personally, I'm all about price/performance and can thus vouch for the Alpha Primes, HD800s, and both amps. If only I could keep all of them without divorce court. I threw in a few pics of my home theater just to share.
