MirandaX
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2001
- Posts
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Review: Melos SHA-1 vs. MG Head DT OTL
To celebrate my 100th posting to Head-Fi, I thought I’d write up a review comparing the MG Head DT (OTL version) to the Melos SHA-1.
Setup
- MG Head DT (OTL version) with two new JJ/Tesla EL84 tubes and one NOS JAN-GE 12AX7
- Melos SHA-1, circa 1995, with two new JJ/Tesla E88CC tubes
- Stereo-Link 1200 DAC fed with uncompressed CD audio
- Etymotic ER-4S, Grado SR-125, Sennheiser HD600
Looks and build quality
Both amps are easy on the eyes. The Melos is solid and imposing; it’s built like a tank (very thick metal), and it looks like it could take years of abuse. The black faceplate is enigmatic in its simplicity; in low light you wouldn’t notice the recessed on switch and input switch; only the on LED, volume pot, and dual headphone jacks are plainly evident from across the room. There is a detachable power cord on my model. My only complaint is that this amp is huge -- it's much too large to keep on a desk.
The MG Head has a much smaller footprint, and can easily fit on a desk. Build quality seems surprisingly good for an amp this inexpensive. The power cord is removable. (My MG Head also came with an optional cage to protect the tubes from pets or kids, but it’s not terribly attractive; I don’t use it.) The real visual strength of the MG Head is its romantic appeal. At night, the JJ tubes glow softly. The effect is enchanting, and it makes you want to turn out the lights and get lost in the music. Plus it’s a great conversation piece.
Practical issues
Neither the Melos SHA-1 nor the MG Head has tape outs or a line passthrough, which means you’ll need to use cable splitters if your current stereo preamp or receiver doesn’t have tape outs. The SHA-1 does have active preamp outputs, so you can use it as a preamp. Apparently it’s fairly decent at this (it was a past Stereophile component of the year), but I haven’t tried it. Both the MG Head and the SHA-1 have notched volume pots. There are enough notches on the SHA-1 so that this isn’t a major problem, but it can be hard to get precisely the right volume on the MG Head.
Contrary to rumor, the two headphone jacks on the SHA-1 are exactly the same. They don’t have different output impedances.
The MG Head DT OTL has two headphone output jacks, one marked “headphone” and one marked “OTL”. Though an Output-Transformerless (OTL) design is typically desirable in an amp, the OTL jack on the MG Head is more of a gimmick than a practical feature. Using this jack produces much more extended bass and highs, but at the cost of an unbalanced sonic presentation. The midrange recedes into the distance, and some instruments lose their character; violins sound hollow.
If you use the “headphone” jack on the MG Head, there is another relevant switch on the front of the amp. The “Trans/OTL” switch, contrary to what its label seems to imply, turns global negative feedback on or off. With negative feedback off, the amp really comes alive. The soundstage expands dramatically, and the dynamics improve.
For the purposes of this review, I used the “headphone” jack on the MG Head OTL, with global negative feedback off.
Sound: Etymotic ER-4S
The Etys sound great with both amps, but the Etys highlight very distinct sonic differences between the two. The bass on the MG Head is not as deep or as tight as the SHA-1’s. (In fact, the bass seems to roll off about 15Hz earlier on the MG Head.) The SHA-1 is also much faster and more detailed. Notes seem to persist for a fraction of a second longer on the MG Head; with classical this is truly a lush, emotional kind of sound, but it’s not so appropriate for rock. However, the midrange of the MG Head is definitely sweeter with the Etys. My reference track for “sweetness” is “Ben’s Song” from Sarah McLachlan’s limited edition Live LP. On the solid state amps I’ve tried, Sarah’s voice sounds good but unnatural with this track. To my incredible delight, Sarah’s voice absolutely glows with the MG Head. There’s no comparison. The Melos doesn’t sound solid state either; it has definite sweetness, but the MG Head is simply enchanting and magical with this track. As another example, “Giant” from The Matthew Good Band’s “Beautiful Midnight” opens with a bunch of cheerleaders. Through the MG Head with the Etys, the cheerleaders sound like they’re high school cheerleaders; on the Melos SHA-1, they sound like they’re older, college cheerleaders; they lack a degree of youthful energy that the MG Head imparts. It’s a noticeable difference. Perhaps more important with the Etys, the MG Head seems to be a bit more lively. The Etys naturally lean towards a cleaner, drier sound, and so the lively, lush sound of the MG Head is a great match. It really livens up the Etys, so much so that I give the MG Head a slight edge over the Melos SHA-1 with the Etys.
Sound: Grado SR-125
The Grados are low-impedance headphones, which can be difficult for tube amps to drive properly. Not surprisingly, the MG Head really struggles with the Grados. The sound is very slow, lacks energy, and more important, lacks dynamics. You have to turn the volume up quite high to get a sense of being immersed in the music. The characteristic Grado bass slam is muted and soggy. I really wouldn’t recommend this combination. On the other hand, the Melos SHA-1 shines with the Grados. I have to admit to being a Grado lover (they’re my favorite phones, followed closely by the Etys, and then behind by the Senns), and I can truly say that the Grados have never sounded this good. Voices are palpable, warm, and real. There is a definite sweetness to the midrange; the effect of the tubes is much more obvious here than through the Etys. For example, Ani DiFranco’s “Dilate” sounds so incredibly intimate and personal through the Melos that I couldn’t tear myself away once I popped in the CD. With the Grados, the Melos’ dynamics are intense (verging on the insane), and the bass is crisp and deep. Overall, a jaw-droppingly satisfying combo. There is an incredible synergy between the Grados and the Melos SHA-1.
Sound: Sennheiser HD600
This one is a much closer race. The sweetness advantage of the MG Head is not as evident as with the Etys; on many of the vocal tracks I tried there was little difference between the MG Head and the Melos. Michelle Branch’s “The Spirit Room” was an exception; the MG Head sounded considerably better with this album. Michelle’s voice was more real; it was clear she was only 17 when she recorded it. On the Melos, she sounded like she could pass for 21. On the other hand, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Sumi Jo’s incredible performance of the Queen of the Night’s revenge aria from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” was more realistically rendered by the Melos, though I couldn’t put my finger on precisely why. The Senns benefit from the Melos’ deeper and tighter bass, particularly for rock. Both amps have a very wide soundstage. Highs on the MG Head are slightly rolled off, which is fine with the (very bright) Grados, but a slight liability with the (definitely not bright) Senns. The MG Head isn’t fast, but it’s also not slow with the Senns; there isn’t the sense of lush, extended notes with the Senns that the MG Head has with the Etys; for rock this is probably a good thing, for classical it's debatable. Overall, neither amp emerges a clear winner with the Sennheiser HD600s. I suspect that I would choose the MG Head if the Senns were my only headphones, because my musical tastes are weighted towards female vocalists, and the MG Head has a slight edge in sweetness. But for rock, the Melos would be a better choice. For classical, they’re truly neck and neck.
Verdict
Both of these are excellent amps, and the MG Head is an absolute steal at its price if you own a pair of Senns or Ety 4S. The Melos is a much more versatile amp, given that it can drive virtually any headphones well. The MG Head cannot drive the low impedance Grados well. The Melos also strikes a nice balance between a tubey sound and a solid state sound, which makes it very satisfying across different types of music.
To celebrate my 100th posting to Head-Fi, I thought I’d write up a review comparing the MG Head DT (OTL version) to the Melos SHA-1.
Setup
- MG Head DT (OTL version) with two new JJ/Tesla EL84 tubes and one NOS JAN-GE 12AX7
- Melos SHA-1, circa 1995, with two new JJ/Tesla E88CC tubes
- Stereo-Link 1200 DAC fed with uncompressed CD audio
- Etymotic ER-4S, Grado SR-125, Sennheiser HD600
Looks and build quality
Both amps are easy on the eyes. The Melos is solid and imposing; it’s built like a tank (very thick metal), and it looks like it could take years of abuse. The black faceplate is enigmatic in its simplicity; in low light you wouldn’t notice the recessed on switch and input switch; only the on LED, volume pot, and dual headphone jacks are plainly evident from across the room. There is a detachable power cord on my model. My only complaint is that this amp is huge -- it's much too large to keep on a desk.
The MG Head has a much smaller footprint, and can easily fit on a desk. Build quality seems surprisingly good for an amp this inexpensive. The power cord is removable. (My MG Head also came with an optional cage to protect the tubes from pets or kids, but it’s not terribly attractive; I don’t use it.) The real visual strength of the MG Head is its romantic appeal. At night, the JJ tubes glow softly. The effect is enchanting, and it makes you want to turn out the lights and get lost in the music. Plus it’s a great conversation piece.
Practical issues
Neither the Melos SHA-1 nor the MG Head has tape outs or a line passthrough, which means you’ll need to use cable splitters if your current stereo preamp or receiver doesn’t have tape outs. The SHA-1 does have active preamp outputs, so you can use it as a preamp. Apparently it’s fairly decent at this (it was a past Stereophile component of the year), but I haven’t tried it. Both the MG Head and the SHA-1 have notched volume pots. There are enough notches on the SHA-1 so that this isn’t a major problem, but it can be hard to get precisely the right volume on the MG Head.
Contrary to rumor, the two headphone jacks on the SHA-1 are exactly the same. They don’t have different output impedances.
The MG Head DT OTL has two headphone output jacks, one marked “headphone” and one marked “OTL”. Though an Output-Transformerless (OTL) design is typically desirable in an amp, the OTL jack on the MG Head is more of a gimmick than a practical feature. Using this jack produces much more extended bass and highs, but at the cost of an unbalanced sonic presentation. The midrange recedes into the distance, and some instruments lose their character; violins sound hollow.
If you use the “headphone” jack on the MG Head, there is another relevant switch on the front of the amp. The “Trans/OTL” switch, contrary to what its label seems to imply, turns global negative feedback on or off. With negative feedback off, the amp really comes alive. The soundstage expands dramatically, and the dynamics improve.
For the purposes of this review, I used the “headphone” jack on the MG Head OTL, with global negative feedback off.
Sound: Etymotic ER-4S
The Etys sound great with both amps, but the Etys highlight very distinct sonic differences between the two. The bass on the MG Head is not as deep or as tight as the SHA-1’s. (In fact, the bass seems to roll off about 15Hz earlier on the MG Head.) The SHA-1 is also much faster and more detailed. Notes seem to persist for a fraction of a second longer on the MG Head; with classical this is truly a lush, emotional kind of sound, but it’s not so appropriate for rock. However, the midrange of the MG Head is definitely sweeter with the Etys. My reference track for “sweetness” is “Ben’s Song” from Sarah McLachlan’s limited edition Live LP. On the solid state amps I’ve tried, Sarah’s voice sounds good but unnatural with this track. To my incredible delight, Sarah’s voice absolutely glows with the MG Head. There’s no comparison. The Melos doesn’t sound solid state either; it has definite sweetness, but the MG Head is simply enchanting and magical with this track. As another example, “Giant” from The Matthew Good Band’s “Beautiful Midnight” opens with a bunch of cheerleaders. Through the MG Head with the Etys, the cheerleaders sound like they’re high school cheerleaders; on the Melos SHA-1, they sound like they’re older, college cheerleaders; they lack a degree of youthful energy that the MG Head imparts. It’s a noticeable difference. Perhaps more important with the Etys, the MG Head seems to be a bit more lively. The Etys naturally lean towards a cleaner, drier sound, and so the lively, lush sound of the MG Head is a great match. It really livens up the Etys, so much so that I give the MG Head a slight edge over the Melos SHA-1 with the Etys.
Sound: Grado SR-125
The Grados are low-impedance headphones, which can be difficult for tube amps to drive properly. Not surprisingly, the MG Head really struggles with the Grados. The sound is very slow, lacks energy, and more important, lacks dynamics. You have to turn the volume up quite high to get a sense of being immersed in the music. The characteristic Grado bass slam is muted and soggy. I really wouldn’t recommend this combination. On the other hand, the Melos SHA-1 shines with the Grados. I have to admit to being a Grado lover (they’re my favorite phones, followed closely by the Etys, and then behind by the Senns), and I can truly say that the Grados have never sounded this good. Voices are palpable, warm, and real. There is a definite sweetness to the midrange; the effect of the tubes is much more obvious here than through the Etys. For example, Ani DiFranco’s “Dilate” sounds so incredibly intimate and personal through the Melos that I couldn’t tear myself away once I popped in the CD. With the Grados, the Melos’ dynamics are intense (verging on the insane), and the bass is crisp and deep. Overall, a jaw-droppingly satisfying combo. There is an incredible synergy between the Grados and the Melos SHA-1.
Sound: Sennheiser HD600
This one is a much closer race. The sweetness advantage of the MG Head is not as evident as with the Etys; on many of the vocal tracks I tried there was little difference between the MG Head and the Melos. Michelle Branch’s “The Spirit Room” was an exception; the MG Head sounded considerably better with this album. Michelle’s voice was more real; it was clear she was only 17 when she recorded it. On the Melos, she sounded like she could pass for 21. On the other hand, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Sumi Jo’s incredible performance of the Queen of the Night’s revenge aria from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” was more realistically rendered by the Melos, though I couldn’t put my finger on precisely why. The Senns benefit from the Melos’ deeper and tighter bass, particularly for rock. Both amps have a very wide soundstage. Highs on the MG Head are slightly rolled off, which is fine with the (very bright) Grados, but a slight liability with the (definitely not bright) Senns. The MG Head isn’t fast, but it’s also not slow with the Senns; there isn’t the sense of lush, extended notes with the Senns that the MG Head has with the Etys; for rock this is probably a good thing, for classical it's debatable. Overall, neither amp emerges a clear winner with the Sennheiser HD600s. I suspect that I would choose the MG Head if the Senns were my only headphones, because my musical tastes are weighted towards female vocalists, and the MG Head has a slight edge in sweetness. But for rock, the Melos would be a better choice. For classical, they’re truly neck and neck.
Verdict
Both of these are excellent amps, and the MG Head is an absolute steal at its price if you own a pair of Senns or Ety 4S. The Melos is a much more versatile amp, given that it can drive virtually any headphones well. The MG Head cannot drive the low impedance Grados well. The Melos also strikes a nice balance between a tubey sound and a solid state sound, which makes it very satisfying across different types of music.
