elnero
Headphoneus Supremus
Introduction
I’ll try to answer the inevitable question first. Why exactly did I buy a one box CD player and headphone amplifier when I already had a reasonably nice system consisting of a Rega Planet 2000, Aural Thrills Force Active Gold IC’s and Singlepower PPX3 (from now known as the Rega/PPX3 combo)? In short there is a strong possibility that I will lose my dedicated computer/listening room in the relatively near future. Up until we moved I had always bought space conscious components but with a dedicated listening room it seemed like I was in heaven so I ended up buying a combination of components that I would not be able to fit anywhere else in our home. When we first moved into this home a year ago my daughter Trinity had not even been born so the prospect of another child seemed far off. Recently though my wife and I discussed the timing for our next child which brought the prospect of losing my dedicated room to the fore so I started keeping my eye out for a possible solution which I would be able to fit into our fairly tightly packed living room or bedroom.
Enter the MiniMax. I had read Srajan Ebaen's 6Moons review back in June in which he raved about not only the CD player but its internal headphone amp. At the time it was priced out of my league at $1350 and the space issue hadn’t come up but not long after my wife and I had our “discussion” I noticed Morningstar Audio Imports, the North American Eastern Electric distributor, had a special on Audiogon for a demo model that was much more in line with my budget. What’s more Morningstar is now selling the MiniMax direct for $899. I didn’t end up buying the demo model but I was intrigued enough to do some research. The big question of course was how good is the internal headphone amp really? The decision to buy the MiniMax was not an easy one, in all probability it meant selling off the rest of my equipment which was a daunting proposition. It took some extensive discussion with Bill O’Connell of Morningstar, Alex Yeung, Eastern Electric’s designer, Srajan Ebaen of 6Moons and a few owners at Head-Fi and Audio Circles before I was convinced enough to place an order.
What’s In The Box?
When I picked up the MiniMax at the post office I was surprised by how small the box was. I knew that it was only a ¾ sized component but it still seemed small. Upon my arrival home I opened the box to find there were no peanuts or other packing material but it was triple boxed with nice snug fitting boxes.
Taking the player out it looked as if despite the tape over it, the drawer had come open. I plugged the unit in expecting the tray to go back but nothing happened, I tried the eject button but again nothing. I fiddled around with it and realized it was an added piece that had come loose which just snapped back into place. Besides that minor glitch I found myself really impressed with the build quality, very solid with a nice finish on the top, sides and rear. The RCA and Coaxial jacks on the rear appear to be nice quality gold, the power cord is detachable and the inset tubes have covers over them to protect them. The front is slightly curved with a silver finish that has a bit of sparkle to it. Very different than the average piece of gear and I must admit even though I’m kind of a black component guy this does look very elegant in a simple, understated way.
The remote control is quite something itself. It appears to be made out a solid piece of metal with the same kind of finish as the face plate. It’s actually quite a bit smaller than I was expecting from the pictures but is heavy enough to be wielded as a weapon if need be.
Other items included in the box are a detailed manual that even has schematics, a pair of cotton gloves for tuberolling and extra pads for the back side of the remote. I wondered at the pads but when reading through the manual I found that in order to change batteries the pads have to be taken off to get at the screws, a rather odd design choice but only a minor quirk in the grand scheme of things.
The entire package exudes quality and gives the owner a sense of confidence in the product without ever having turned it on.
Using the MiniMax
The front fascia has from left to right a power switch and indicator, headphone jack with HDCD indicator just above it, next in line is the volume control which is quite small in comparison to the knobs we see on most dedicated headphone amps. In the middle of the player is the transport and just under it the display. On the right side are the main controls arranged in circular pattern with one in the middle.
Operating the MiniMax is very easy, the buttons on the remote are laid out in a rather unique fashion but easy enough to get the knack of. The controls on the player itself control the basic functions of play/pause, stop, eject as well as forward and reverse. The tray has a very smooth motion to it, no jerking noisy transport here that’s for sure. An interesting feature is the tray will automatically close after approx. 30 seconds if left open. The display itself shows the typical track and time information and has 3 levels of brightness which are controlled from the remote.
The volume control itself is very smooth but my only real personal complaint with the operation of the MiniMax lies here. The gain seems quite high for the levels I listen at which means I have very little room to adjust. I’ve had a similar issue with the PPX3 as well but add to this the smaller knob which makes it a little harder to get a good grip on which in turn makes fine tuning that much harder. This is a personal complaint though and I wouldn’t want to see the gain lowered on a permanent basis because some people will listen at louder levels or use less sensitive, higher impedance headphones which means they will make use of that gain. I am looking into getting the gain lowered and will post in regards to this if I manage to work something out.
Tubes
One problem I foresaw with downsizing was potentially giving up on a tube amp to accommodate a smaller size. Part of the beauty of the MiniMax is its tube output. The headphone amplifier itself is solid state but unlike a player like the Jolida JD100 whose headphone output is strictly solid state even though it’s a tube CD player, the MiniMax’s headphone amp is fed by the tube output so you still get the benefits of tubes and tuberolling even through the headphone output.
The MiniMax accepts tubes from the 6DJ8 family. This includes 6DJ8, 6922 and 7308. Their European designations are ECC88, E88CC and E188C while their Russian counterparts are 6N1Pand 6H23N. Other usable tubes are the E288CC and 7DJ8/PCC88.
Tuberolling is reasonably fast and easy. Simply make sure the tubes are cool, twist the casing and pull it off, swap tubes, put the casings back on and your done.
The MiniMax now comes with a pair of Electro Harmonix 6DJ8’s which are a pretty decent tube, a bit warm and not as refined or linear as the better tubes but a very nice tube to start out with. I don’t have a wide variety of tubes for the MiniMax at this point so it’s hard for me to tell the exact level of effects it will have but from what I’ve experienced so far is it is possible to fine tune the sound but the effects are not quite as dramatic as tuberolling the PPX3. That said I did find the Telefunken PCC88’s were the best tube in my possession offering a well balanced, detailed tube that a bit of smoothness and warmth to it but not overly so. This is the set of tubes I used for my evaluation.
A Note Regarding Listening Preferences
In one form or another I’ve been involved in high end audio for almost 20 years now and I’m still discovering and redefining what it is I’m looking for. Back in the late 80’s early 90’s I found most equipment assaulted the ears with overly bright, harsh treble so I tried to find equipment with a laid back, even rolled off treble. I was in heaven the first time I heard a tube amplifier, the smooth highs and rich, liquid midrange were to die for. Having played cello and bass guitar for a good portion of my life I prefer a deep, well defined and punchy bass which can be a hard find in a tube amp but not impossible and I’ve felt I could trade off something in the bass in order to achieve the rest.
Ever since I started my love affair with the RS-1’s I’ve found my priorities changing or maturing to a degree. I still prefer that smooth, liquid, rich midrange and tight well defined and extended bass but I’ve realized that highs can be reproduced with great clarity without being overbearing and harsh. Pace, rhythm and timing or PRaT has also become a very important factor for an enjoyable listening experience.
For me the worst thing a system can do is accentuate or exaggerate sibilance. By accentuating I mean those overly hot, sizzling s’s and t’s, the ones that make you cringe and run for cover for fear they might burn a hole in your eardrum. Exaggerating sibilance can be a little harder to define. This type of sibilance can actually be smooth but draws attention to itself by being drawn out longer or at a louder level than is natural.
When I first bought the RS-1’s I didn’t have any problems with brightness or sibilance, in fact the RS-1’s have one of the sweetest most realistic treble regions I’ve come across but it can be temperamental particularly in regards to sibilance when used with equipment that doesn’t mate well. Somewhere along the way problems with sibilance crept into my system. I tried correcting this and managed to go from the sizzling accentuated to the smoother, exaggerated, more drawn out type. So when I ordered the MiniMax there was also an element of frustration with my system as well.
Equipment Used For Evaluation
Eastern Electric MiniMax CD Player with Telefunken PCC88 replacement tubes
Rega Planet 2000
Singlepower PPX3 – 6CG7 with GE driver tube and RCA cleartop output tubes
Grado RA-1
Aural Thrills Force Active Gold Interconnects
Quail and stock power cords
Grado RS-1’s
Sennheiser HD600’s
Sony CD1700’s
ONEAC 1105 power conditioner
Sound
I was born in the early part of October which according to astrology makes me a Libra. The astrological symbol for Libra is the scales signifying balance which is supposed to be a strong trait of Librans. I don’t put much stock in astrology but I will admit that symmetry and balance are strong part of my life. With that in mind if I had to describe the MiniMax in one word it would be balanced which is probably one reason I like this piece of kit so much.
The MiniMax is balanced in many different aspects. No one frequency range draws attention to itself, there is just a coherent evenhandedness that allows one to view the music as a whole without distractions of an overly bassy or overly hot reproduction. One can hear the faults of a bad recording but I’ve found for the most part they are quite listenable with the MiniMax. It doesn’t gloss anything over but neither does it render the music in a brutal unforgiving fashion. In fact I am continually impressed by the natural portrayal of instruments and vocals which gives the MiniMax a definite sense of realism in it’s reproduction of music. One of my biggest fears was that the MiniMax’s tube output would become overly warm and lush, while this can be pleasing it can also become a hindrance to overall musical fulfillment. The tubes do lend a subtle warmth and ease to the music but it never seems to cross the line into becoming overly smooth and romantic. In contrast to what one might expect the MiniMax excels in drive and punch. For me PRaT (Pace Rhythm and Timing) has become a very important aspect of music reproduction and the MiniMax was no let down in this respect. It does PRaT better than any player I’ve heard so far, there have even been parts of songs where the phrasing seems different lending to a new interpretation of what the musician was doing at that moment. It really seems to capture and control the essence of the rhythm and clarifies more complex musical structures with ease.
One thing almost everyone that has heard the RS-1’s agrees on is they do something very special with electric guitar. It’s one of the traits that first drew me to the RS-1’s and the MiniMax only furthers the magic. In Aaron Weiss’s Soundstage Review He says in reference to Phish’s “Rift” that “…it (the MiniMax) lavishes the guitar work with such sublime beauty that you soon forget the production shortcoming.” I don’t have that particular recording but I thought it summed it up nicely. The distortion on electric guitar comes through with clarity and grunt that is astonishing but not in a fatiguing manner by any means because there is a warmth and richness about it as well. There is a similar beauty to acoustic guitar as well but it’s in a different manner.
The RS-1’s are a contradistinctive headphone. In my rather limited experience with them I’ve found they seem to work best with “faster” equipment but also thrive on the added warmth and richness that tubes can provide. So again balance comes into play. After having spent some time with the Rega Planet 2000, Active Gold IC and Singlepower PPX3, I feel I went too far with that combo. On the surface it sounded warm, smooth and inviting but in comparison to the MiniMax pace seemed restricted and the combo overly smoothed things out so that some of the high end anomalies I’ve noted were accentuated with things like sibilance, while not overly hot, became exaggerated and drug out which in some of the worst cases made it sound disassociated from the music as whole. With the MiniMax sibilance takes on a very natural character, it never seems to bite or become disassociated but at the same time it’s still apparent that some CD’s are just recorded with that way although with the MiniMax they are much easier to listen to.
This may sound like a contradiction to my previous statement but the highs on the Rega/PPX3 are very smooth and palatable although so much so that things like cymbals can lose their natural bite and ring. I hate to say it but the Rega/PPX3 sounds somewhat veiled, like someone put a blanket over the music so it loses detail and impact. The MiniMax gives much more of the illusion that there are real people singing and playing instruments while the Rega does a good job at recreating a musical experience.
I lay a big part of the reason for this feeling that I went too far with Rega/PPX3 combo at the feet of the Rega. The Rega seems to try to capture a more analog like sound but it does so by restricting the frequency extremes, recessing the treble, pumping up the midbass a smidge and contrary to other people’s findings in comparison to both the MiniMax and the Cambridge 640C I found the Rega to hold back the music in the PRaT department. The Rega sounds rich and inviting, almost tubelike in character which also helps give it that more analog feel (I find it ironic that the player with tubes sounds less “tubey” than the purely solid state player). The Rega accomplishes this tubelike quality by smoothing over transients and detail and adding warmth and richness that while pleasing seems fake in comparison to the MiniMax. I hate to say it but the Rega sounds somewhat veiled, like someone put a blanket over the music so it loses detail and impact. With the MiniMax people playing instruments and singing seem to be right in the room while the Rega loses that illusion but does a good job at creating a musical experience that while maybe not as natural or detailed is quite enjoyable nonetheless.
While the MiniMax’s CD performance is important and it is excellent in that regard, I think most of the people on Head-Fi that have seen this player are just as curious about it’s internal headphone amplifier. Srajan Ebaen intrigued us with his 6Moon’s review and in this my feelings pretty much mirror his. It is definitely a worthy performer that I feel is in at least the same league as the PPX3. The PPX3 sounds different but I don’t feel it is an “upgrade”. In fact if push comes to shove I would have to say I prefer the MiniMax on it’s own than paired with the PPX3.
The PPX3’s strongest suit is in its warmth and richness while still maintaining a decent dynamic performance. At its heart it is a tube amp though and as such the solid state amplifier of the MiniMax is faster, punchier and more dynamic. Upon first listen the bass is probably the most apparent difference between the two. The PPX3 is weightier sounding with more midbass emphasis, but it is slower and less defined than the MiniMax. Extension is good in both but where the MiniMax is evenhanded into the lower registers on a song like Bela Fleck’s “Flight of the Cosmic Hippo” the PPX3 seems to start losing its composure on the lowest bass notes. This is not drastic, I can’t say I noticed this quality in the PPX3 before but in comparison now the MiniMax just seems to have a better grip on the bottom end.
The PPX3 is also the richer sounding amplifier. The MiniMax is by no means dry but the PPX3 captures more of the ambience. The decay of instruments and the “room” are more apparent with the PPX3 giving it a deeper sounding headstage. While the decay and ambience are still there with the MiniMax there is more speed and emphasis on the attack giving it a more forward presentation.
Another noticeable difference between the two amps is in the high frequencies. The PPX3’s highs are very smooth and palatable but in this instance they seem a bit overly so taking away some of the natural ring and shimmer to cymbals. The MiniMax is more forward and extended giving the high end a bit more presence. If the quality of the high end was questionable it could be a breaking point for the MiniMax but luckily the MiniMax doesn’t disappoint which in turn gives the MiniMax a very natural sounding high end.
Overall as I mentioned before I prefer the MiniMax on it’s own for its more balanced presentation. Having played both bass and cello for a good portion of my life the MiniMax’s bass performance is big selling point with me. The MiniMax is fast, dynamic and punchy with a touch of warmth and excellent detail that is never pushed down your throat. There is an undeniable synergy between the amp and CD section of the MiniMax. With the PPX3 the balance is shifted in favor of a more laid back performance with a plumper bass, lusher midrange and smoother, slightly recessed highs. Both are quite enjoyable and I could keep both to give myself variety but in reality these differences are not as big as I may make them seem, mix that with my space concerns and it doesn’t seem like a realistic option. Plus if I’m in the mood for it I could tuberoll the MiniMax to have a bit more of the lushness and richness of the PPX3. For that matter the PPX3 could probably be tuberolled to sound closer to the MiniMax.
So have my feelings towards the PPX3 changed? Not at all, if anything it has only given me more respect for the MiniMax’s internal amp and the synergy it has with the CD section. I don’t really see one as being “better” than the other, it’s more of a personal preference on which flavor one will prefer. If someone is looking for a reasonably priced tube amp I still feel the PPX3 is an excellent choice in its price range while the MiniMax shows incredible value as a total package.
How Does It Work With High Impedance Headphones?
I didn’t do extensive testing with harder to drive headphones but I did borrow a pair of HD600’s from another local Head-Fier mackay maus. I can’t say the HD600’s suffered any being used directly out of the MiniMax. The same type of differences in sound between the PPX3 and MiniMax I noted with the RS-1’s existed with the HD600’s. The MiniMax drove the HD600’s with just as much ease as the PPX3 and the volume levels were even quite close so there is plenty of gain even for the harder to drive cans.
Upgrades
There is at least one place that is offering two levels of upgrade packages for the MiniMax. In my opinion this adds value to the product because it offers an easy upgrade route while keeping the same small all in one package. I’ve talked with Underwood Hi-Fi/Parts Connexion and in addition to their regular upgrades I’m happy to report that at an additional cost they can upgrade the headphone section as well. This type of modding/upgrading doesn’t particularly interest me at the moment, I’m quite happy with the sound I’m getting from the MiniMax now. I would be interested auditioning an upgraded unit but without hearing the final result beforehand I would be afraid I might lose some of that magic if I changed things around but who knows how I might feel about it down the road. It’s definitely nice to know the option is there if I so choose.
Summing Up
So here we have it a CD player amplifier combo in one ¾ sized box that plays in a league well beyond its selling price. This should appeal to anyone with a limited amount of space like the college student in a dorm or someone looking to set up a bedside or office system or even someone who is just plainly interested in a high performance CD player and amp at a bargain price. So far I’ve concentrated on the MiniMax as a combo unit but for those simply looking for a source only the MiniMax should definitely not be discounted as I feel given it’s showing in comparison to the Rega it should easily compete in the under $1000 region and maybe even above.
If I come across as raving too much about the MiniMax it’s because I feel the balance of the MiniMax’s virtues and its near total lack of negatives for me makes it a near perfect product especially given my limited space situation. Sure it may not suit everyone’s preferences and I’m sure there are better sources and amps out there but I feel to get a significant improvement for myself I would have to spend thousands of dollars which is beyond my means. My hat goes off to Alex Yeung for designing a product that balances it’s characteristics to give a product that I feel has a build quality and performance well beyond what it’s price tag would suggest. Finally that promise of a decent performing one box solution is a reality with the MiniMax and as a bonus its tube output allows some fine tuning to suit personal preferences. With another type of “mini” entering the household sometime in the near future I have the feeling buying tubes will be the extent of feeding my upgrade bug for a good while to come. I happy to say the MiniMax makes me quite content with that possibility.
Tuberolling Update Jan. 18 2005
I received a pair of lightly used Bugle Boy 6DJ8’s last week and have been giving them a try. My intention was to find something a little richer than the Telefunkens. In this I think I succeeded with the Bugle Boys, they do have more body and a fuller, richer sound. They seem to capture more of that ambience and decay that the Telefunkens missed but from my recollection not quite to level of the PPX3. The highs are also even smoother just leaning a bit towards being too much so in some instances but overall they are very sweet. The bass is a bit softer and rounder losing a bit of the punch of the Tele’s but it is still quite enjoyable with decent detail and PRaT. The Bugle Boys seem just a hair less dynamic the Tele’s, most music sounds very involving but I did notice that Tool’s “Aenima” sounded a bit flat in comparison to how I’m used to hearing it. Overall not quite the perfect tube for what I was looking for but very nice nonetheless.
I’ll try to answer the inevitable question first. Why exactly did I buy a one box CD player and headphone amplifier when I already had a reasonably nice system consisting of a Rega Planet 2000, Aural Thrills Force Active Gold IC’s and Singlepower PPX3 (from now known as the Rega/PPX3 combo)? In short there is a strong possibility that I will lose my dedicated computer/listening room in the relatively near future. Up until we moved I had always bought space conscious components but with a dedicated listening room it seemed like I was in heaven so I ended up buying a combination of components that I would not be able to fit anywhere else in our home. When we first moved into this home a year ago my daughter Trinity had not even been born so the prospect of another child seemed far off. Recently though my wife and I discussed the timing for our next child which brought the prospect of losing my dedicated room to the fore so I started keeping my eye out for a possible solution which I would be able to fit into our fairly tightly packed living room or bedroom.
Enter the MiniMax. I had read Srajan Ebaen's 6Moons review back in June in which he raved about not only the CD player but its internal headphone amp. At the time it was priced out of my league at $1350 and the space issue hadn’t come up but not long after my wife and I had our “discussion” I noticed Morningstar Audio Imports, the North American Eastern Electric distributor, had a special on Audiogon for a demo model that was much more in line with my budget. What’s more Morningstar is now selling the MiniMax direct for $899. I didn’t end up buying the demo model but I was intrigued enough to do some research. The big question of course was how good is the internal headphone amp really? The decision to buy the MiniMax was not an easy one, in all probability it meant selling off the rest of my equipment which was a daunting proposition. It took some extensive discussion with Bill O’Connell of Morningstar, Alex Yeung, Eastern Electric’s designer, Srajan Ebaen of 6Moons and a few owners at Head-Fi and Audio Circles before I was convinced enough to place an order.
What’s In The Box?
When I picked up the MiniMax at the post office I was surprised by how small the box was. I knew that it was only a ¾ sized component but it still seemed small. Upon my arrival home I opened the box to find there were no peanuts or other packing material but it was triple boxed with nice snug fitting boxes.
Taking the player out it looked as if despite the tape over it, the drawer had come open. I plugged the unit in expecting the tray to go back but nothing happened, I tried the eject button but again nothing. I fiddled around with it and realized it was an added piece that had come loose which just snapped back into place. Besides that minor glitch I found myself really impressed with the build quality, very solid with a nice finish on the top, sides and rear. The RCA and Coaxial jacks on the rear appear to be nice quality gold, the power cord is detachable and the inset tubes have covers over them to protect them. The front is slightly curved with a silver finish that has a bit of sparkle to it. Very different than the average piece of gear and I must admit even though I’m kind of a black component guy this does look very elegant in a simple, understated way.
The remote control is quite something itself. It appears to be made out a solid piece of metal with the same kind of finish as the face plate. It’s actually quite a bit smaller than I was expecting from the pictures but is heavy enough to be wielded as a weapon if need be.
Other items included in the box are a detailed manual that even has schematics, a pair of cotton gloves for tuberolling and extra pads for the back side of the remote. I wondered at the pads but when reading through the manual I found that in order to change batteries the pads have to be taken off to get at the screws, a rather odd design choice but only a minor quirk in the grand scheme of things.
The entire package exudes quality and gives the owner a sense of confidence in the product without ever having turned it on.
Using the MiniMax
The front fascia has from left to right a power switch and indicator, headphone jack with HDCD indicator just above it, next in line is the volume control which is quite small in comparison to the knobs we see on most dedicated headphone amps. In the middle of the player is the transport and just under it the display. On the right side are the main controls arranged in circular pattern with one in the middle.
Operating the MiniMax is very easy, the buttons on the remote are laid out in a rather unique fashion but easy enough to get the knack of. The controls on the player itself control the basic functions of play/pause, stop, eject as well as forward and reverse. The tray has a very smooth motion to it, no jerking noisy transport here that’s for sure. An interesting feature is the tray will automatically close after approx. 30 seconds if left open. The display itself shows the typical track and time information and has 3 levels of brightness which are controlled from the remote.
The volume control itself is very smooth but my only real personal complaint with the operation of the MiniMax lies here. The gain seems quite high for the levels I listen at which means I have very little room to adjust. I’ve had a similar issue with the PPX3 as well but add to this the smaller knob which makes it a little harder to get a good grip on which in turn makes fine tuning that much harder. This is a personal complaint though and I wouldn’t want to see the gain lowered on a permanent basis because some people will listen at louder levels or use less sensitive, higher impedance headphones which means they will make use of that gain. I am looking into getting the gain lowered and will post in regards to this if I manage to work something out.
Tubes
One problem I foresaw with downsizing was potentially giving up on a tube amp to accommodate a smaller size. Part of the beauty of the MiniMax is its tube output. The headphone amplifier itself is solid state but unlike a player like the Jolida JD100 whose headphone output is strictly solid state even though it’s a tube CD player, the MiniMax’s headphone amp is fed by the tube output so you still get the benefits of tubes and tuberolling even through the headphone output.
The MiniMax accepts tubes from the 6DJ8 family. This includes 6DJ8, 6922 and 7308. Their European designations are ECC88, E88CC and E188C while their Russian counterparts are 6N1Pand 6H23N. Other usable tubes are the E288CC and 7DJ8/PCC88.
Tuberolling is reasonably fast and easy. Simply make sure the tubes are cool, twist the casing and pull it off, swap tubes, put the casings back on and your done.
The MiniMax now comes with a pair of Electro Harmonix 6DJ8’s which are a pretty decent tube, a bit warm and not as refined or linear as the better tubes but a very nice tube to start out with. I don’t have a wide variety of tubes for the MiniMax at this point so it’s hard for me to tell the exact level of effects it will have but from what I’ve experienced so far is it is possible to fine tune the sound but the effects are not quite as dramatic as tuberolling the PPX3. That said I did find the Telefunken PCC88’s were the best tube in my possession offering a well balanced, detailed tube that a bit of smoothness and warmth to it but not overly so. This is the set of tubes I used for my evaluation.
A Note Regarding Listening Preferences
In one form or another I’ve been involved in high end audio for almost 20 years now and I’m still discovering and redefining what it is I’m looking for. Back in the late 80’s early 90’s I found most equipment assaulted the ears with overly bright, harsh treble so I tried to find equipment with a laid back, even rolled off treble. I was in heaven the first time I heard a tube amplifier, the smooth highs and rich, liquid midrange were to die for. Having played cello and bass guitar for a good portion of my life I prefer a deep, well defined and punchy bass which can be a hard find in a tube amp but not impossible and I’ve felt I could trade off something in the bass in order to achieve the rest.
Ever since I started my love affair with the RS-1’s I’ve found my priorities changing or maturing to a degree. I still prefer that smooth, liquid, rich midrange and tight well defined and extended bass but I’ve realized that highs can be reproduced with great clarity without being overbearing and harsh. Pace, rhythm and timing or PRaT has also become a very important factor for an enjoyable listening experience.
For me the worst thing a system can do is accentuate or exaggerate sibilance. By accentuating I mean those overly hot, sizzling s’s and t’s, the ones that make you cringe and run for cover for fear they might burn a hole in your eardrum. Exaggerating sibilance can be a little harder to define. This type of sibilance can actually be smooth but draws attention to itself by being drawn out longer or at a louder level than is natural.
When I first bought the RS-1’s I didn’t have any problems with brightness or sibilance, in fact the RS-1’s have one of the sweetest most realistic treble regions I’ve come across but it can be temperamental particularly in regards to sibilance when used with equipment that doesn’t mate well. Somewhere along the way problems with sibilance crept into my system. I tried correcting this and managed to go from the sizzling accentuated to the smoother, exaggerated, more drawn out type. So when I ordered the MiniMax there was also an element of frustration with my system as well.
Equipment Used For Evaluation
Eastern Electric MiniMax CD Player with Telefunken PCC88 replacement tubes
Rega Planet 2000
Singlepower PPX3 – 6CG7 with GE driver tube and RCA cleartop output tubes
Grado RA-1
Aural Thrills Force Active Gold Interconnects
Quail and stock power cords
Grado RS-1’s
Sennheiser HD600’s
Sony CD1700’s
ONEAC 1105 power conditioner
Sound
I was born in the early part of October which according to astrology makes me a Libra. The astrological symbol for Libra is the scales signifying balance which is supposed to be a strong trait of Librans. I don’t put much stock in astrology but I will admit that symmetry and balance are strong part of my life. With that in mind if I had to describe the MiniMax in one word it would be balanced which is probably one reason I like this piece of kit so much.
The MiniMax is balanced in many different aspects. No one frequency range draws attention to itself, there is just a coherent evenhandedness that allows one to view the music as a whole without distractions of an overly bassy or overly hot reproduction. One can hear the faults of a bad recording but I’ve found for the most part they are quite listenable with the MiniMax. It doesn’t gloss anything over but neither does it render the music in a brutal unforgiving fashion. In fact I am continually impressed by the natural portrayal of instruments and vocals which gives the MiniMax a definite sense of realism in it’s reproduction of music. One of my biggest fears was that the MiniMax’s tube output would become overly warm and lush, while this can be pleasing it can also become a hindrance to overall musical fulfillment. The tubes do lend a subtle warmth and ease to the music but it never seems to cross the line into becoming overly smooth and romantic. In contrast to what one might expect the MiniMax excels in drive and punch. For me PRaT (Pace Rhythm and Timing) has become a very important aspect of music reproduction and the MiniMax was no let down in this respect. It does PRaT better than any player I’ve heard so far, there have even been parts of songs where the phrasing seems different lending to a new interpretation of what the musician was doing at that moment. It really seems to capture and control the essence of the rhythm and clarifies more complex musical structures with ease.
One thing almost everyone that has heard the RS-1’s agrees on is they do something very special with electric guitar. It’s one of the traits that first drew me to the RS-1’s and the MiniMax only furthers the magic. In Aaron Weiss’s Soundstage Review He says in reference to Phish’s “Rift” that “…it (the MiniMax) lavishes the guitar work with such sublime beauty that you soon forget the production shortcoming.” I don’t have that particular recording but I thought it summed it up nicely. The distortion on electric guitar comes through with clarity and grunt that is astonishing but not in a fatiguing manner by any means because there is a warmth and richness about it as well. There is a similar beauty to acoustic guitar as well but it’s in a different manner.
The RS-1’s are a contradistinctive headphone. In my rather limited experience with them I’ve found they seem to work best with “faster” equipment but also thrive on the added warmth and richness that tubes can provide. So again balance comes into play. After having spent some time with the Rega Planet 2000, Active Gold IC and Singlepower PPX3, I feel I went too far with that combo. On the surface it sounded warm, smooth and inviting but in comparison to the MiniMax pace seemed restricted and the combo overly smoothed things out so that some of the high end anomalies I’ve noted were accentuated with things like sibilance, while not overly hot, became exaggerated and drug out which in some of the worst cases made it sound disassociated from the music as whole. With the MiniMax sibilance takes on a very natural character, it never seems to bite or become disassociated but at the same time it’s still apparent that some CD’s are just recorded with that way although with the MiniMax they are much easier to listen to.
This may sound like a contradiction to my previous statement but the highs on the Rega/PPX3 are very smooth and palatable although so much so that things like cymbals can lose their natural bite and ring. I hate to say it but the Rega/PPX3 sounds somewhat veiled, like someone put a blanket over the music so it loses detail and impact. The MiniMax gives much more of the illusion that there are real people singing and playing instruments while the Rega does a good job at recreating a musical experience.
I lay a big part of the reason for this feeling that I went too far with Rega/PPX3 combo at the feet of the Rega. The Rega seems to try to capture a more analog like sound but it does so by restricting the frequency extremes, recessing the treble, pumping up the midbass a smidge and contrary to other people’s findings in comparison to both the MiniMax and the Cambridge 640C I found the Rega to hold back the music in the PRaT department. The Rega sounds rich and inviting, almost tubelike in character which also helps give it that more analog feel (I find it ironic that the player with tubes sounds less “tubey” than the purely solid state player). The Rega accomplishes this tubelike quality by smoothing over transients and detail and adding warmth and richness that while pleasing seems fake in comparison to the MiniMax. I hate to say it but the Rega sounds somewhat veiled, like someone put a blanket over the music so it loses detail and impact. With the MiniMax people playing instruments and singing seem to be right in the room while the Rega loses that illusion but does a good job at creating a musical experience that while maybe not as natural or detailed is quite enjoyable nonetheless.
While the MiniMax’s CD performance is important and it is excellent in that regard, I think most of the people on Head-Fi that have seen this player are just as curious about it’s internal headphone amplifier. Srajan Ebaen intrigued us with his 6Moon’s review and in this my feelings pretty much mirror his. It is definitely a worthy performer that I feel is in at least the same league as the PPX3. The PPX3 sounds different but I don’t feel it is an “upgrade”. In fact if push comes to shove I would have to say I prefer the MiniMax on it’s own than paired with the PPX3.
The PPX3’s strongest suit is in its warmth and richness while still maintaining a decent dynamic performance. At its heart it is a tube amp though and as such the solid state amplifier of the MiniMax is faster, punchier and more dynamic. Upon first listen the bass is probably the most apparent difference between the two. The PPX3 is weightier sounding with more midbass emphasis, but it is slower and less defined than the MiniMax. Extension is good in both but where the MiniMax is evenhanded into the lower registers on a song like Bela Fleck’s “Flight of the Cosmic Hippo” the PPX3 seems to start losing its composure on the lowest bass notes. This is not drastic, I can’t say I noticed this quality in the PPX3 before but in comparison now the MiniMax just seems to have a better grip on the bottom end.
The PPX3 is also the richer sounding amplifier. The MiniMax is by no means dry but the PPX3 captures more of the ambience. The decay of instruments and the “room” are more apparent with the PPX3 giving it a deeper sounding headstage. While the decay and ambience are still there with the MiniMax there is more speed and emphasis on the attack giving it a more forward presentation.
Another noticeable difference between the two amps is in the high frequencies. The PPX3’s highs are very smooth and palatable but in this instance they seem a bit overly so taking away some of the natural ring and shimmer to cymbals. The MiniMax is more forward and extended giving the high end a bit more presence. If the quality of the high end was questionable it could be a breaking point for the MiniMax but luckily the MiniMax doesn’t disappoint which in turn gives the MiniMax a very natural sounding high end.
Overall as I mentioned before I prefer the MiniMax on it’s own for its more balanced presentation. Having played both bass and cello for a good portion of my life the MiniMax’s bass performance is big selling point with me. The MiniMax is fast, dynamic and punchy with a touch of warmth and excellent detail that is never pushed down your throat. There is an undeniable synergy between the amp and CD section of the MiniMax. With the PPX3 the balance is shifted in favor of a more laid back performance with a plumper bass, lusher midrange and smoother, slightly recessed highs. Both are quite enjoyable and I could keep both to give myself variety but in reality these differences are not as big as I may make them seem, mix that with my space concerns and it doesn’t seem like a realistic option. Plus if I’m in the mood for it I could tuberoll the MiniMax to have a bit more of the lushness and richness of the PPX3. For that matter the PPX3 could probably be tuberolled to sound closer to the MiniMax.
So have my feelings towards the PPX3 changed? Not at all, if anything it has only given me more respect for the MiniMax’s internal amp and the synergy it has with the CD section. I don’t really see one as being “better” than the other, it’s more of a personal preference on which flavor one will prefer. If someone is looking for a reasonably priced tube amp I still feel the PPX3 is an excellent choice in its price range while the MiniMax shows incredible value as a total package.
How Does It Work With High Impedance Headphones?
I didn’t do extensive testing with harder to drive headphones but I did borrow a pair of HD600’s from another local Head-Fier mackay maus. I can’t say the HD600’s suffered any being used directly out of the MiniMax. The same type of differences in sound between the PPX3 and MiniMax I noted with the RS-1’s existed with the HD600’s. The MiniMax drove the HD600’s with just as much ease as the PPX3 and the volume levels were even quite close so there is plenty of gain even for the harder to drive cans.
Upgrades
There is at least one place that is offering two levels of upgrade packages for the MiniMax. In my opinion this adds value to the product because it offers an easy upgrade route while keeping the same small all in one package. I’ve talked with Underwood Hi-Fi/Parts Connexion and in addition to their regular upgrades I’m happy to report that at an additional cost they can upgrade the headphone section as well. This type of modding/upgrading doesn’t particularly interest me at the moment, I’m quite happy with the sound I’m getting from the MiniMax now. I would be interested auditioning an upgraded unit but without hearing the final result beforehand I would be afraid I might lose some of that magic if I changed things around but who knows how I might feel about it down the road. It’s definitely nice to know the option is there if I so choose.
Summing Up
So here we have it a CD player amplifier combo in one ¾ sized box that plays in a league well beyond its selling price. This should appeal to anyone with a limited amount of space like the college student in a dorm or someone looking to set up a bedside or office system or even someone who is just plainly interested in a high performance CD player and amp at a bargain price. So far I’ve concentrated on the MiniMax as a combo unit but for those simply looking for a source only the MiniMax should definitely not be discounted as I feel given it’s showing in comparison to the Rega it should easily compete in the under $1000 region and maybe even above.
If I come across as raving too much about the MiniMax it’s because I feel the balance of the MiniMax’s virtues and its near total lack of negatives for me makes it a near perfect product especially given my limited space situation. Sure it may not suit everyone’s preferences and I’m sure there are better sources and amps out there but I feel to get a significant improvement for myself I would have to spend thousands of dollars which is beyond my means. My hat goes off to Alex Yeung for designing a product that balances it’s characteristics to give a product that I feel has a build quality and performance well beyond what it’s price tag would suggest. Finally that promise of a decent performing one box solution is a reality with the MiniMax and as a bonus its tube output allows some fine tuning to suit personal preferences. With another type of “mini” entering the household sometime in the near future I have the feeling buying tubes will be the extent of feeding my upgrade bug for a good while to come. I happy to say the MiniMax makes me quite content with that possibility.
Tuberolling Update Jan. 18 2005
I received a pair of lightly used Bugle Boy 6DJ8’s last week and have been giving them a try. My intention was to find something a little richer than the Telefunkens. In this I think I succeeded with the Bugle Boys, they do have more body and a fuller, richer sound. They seem to capture more of that ambience and decay that the Telefunkens missed but from my recollection not quite to level of the PPX3. The highs are also even smoother just leaning a bit towards being too much so in some instances but overall they are very sweet. The bass is a bit softer and rounder losing a bit of the punch of the Tele’s but it is still quite enjoyable with decent detail and PRaT. The Bugle Boys seem just a hair less dynamic the Tele’s, most music sounds very involving but I did notice that Tool’s “Aenima” sounded a bit flat in comparison to how I’m used to hearing it. Overall not quite the perfect tube for what I was looking for but very nice nonetheless.
