[Skylab]

Supermicro is much taller, but has a much smaller footprint than the T2. Hard to compare sizes.

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Supermicro is much taller, but has a much smaller footprint than the T2. Hard to compare sizes.

iBasso T2 is much prettier. I handled one at HeadFest and was shocked by how small it was/felt, and how pretty it was (translucent white face). The sound was also better than I expected, but (though I haven't yet heard one … soon I hope) I suspect from the glowing reports from repectable members that the SuperMicro IV has superior SQ (though real chintzy looks, tho' I shouldn't give chintz a bad name

).

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser /img/forum/go_quote.gif What do they say about one picture? T2 on the left and Xin Reference on the right.

Steve, how do the 2 amps compare? does the xin have two 1/4" headphone jacks? oh, how many hrs do you have on the xin and is it still breaking in? do you have any idea of how close this is to an actual production unit, when will those be available and how much will they cost?

 

[mrarroyo]

Totally agree with Romanee, I do my best to let every amp burn in for a minimun of 250 to 300 hours. Those with large caps or blackgates (Hornet, Tomahawk, Supermacro LE, Reference, Portaphile, LaRocco, etc) I go much further up to and including 800 hours (Tomahawk and Reference).

 

[Goh]

Skylab, I know you've done a blind comparison between the Aria and Tomahawk, but have you done any other blind comparisons? I would love to read such an assessment on a variety of amps. I suspect that when price, portability, and looks are taken out of the equation, many will have difficulty determining which amp is "better" and which is "worse." If the results show that a sub-$100 sounds about the same as a $500 amp, it would greatly help those of us who are financially challenged. The listening impressions by you and other Head-fiers are valuable and greatly appreciated, but I long for something on a more absolute scale - i.e. "if getting the HD650 took your system from a 5 to an 8, upgrading to this amp will improve that to an 8.5." Has anything like this been attempted? If not, is it feasible?

 

[Skylab]

I have no comment on that - I don't think blind comparisons are the best way to judge audio components. But PLEASE let us not debate it in this thread

 

[slwiser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveDerek /img/forum/go_quote.gif Steve, how do the 2 amps compare? does the xin have two 1/4" headphone jacks? oh, how many hrs do you have on the xin and is it still breaking in? do you have any idea of how close this is to an actual production unit, when will those be available and how much will they cost?

My Reference has two quarter and two eight connections. I have many hours on the Reference. I have gone through almost two sets of batteries which is over 400 hours mostly with a 260 ohm load which is supposed to burn in the components faster than my 40 ohm load by 6x. I have not a clue as to how close to the final version it is but I was given the impression when I got it from Dr. Xin that it was the final but one never really knows till it is over. There seems to be two versions of a very late beta going around to those that have them, one sounds like a Reference amp while the other sounds like a fairly high end tube amp apparently. I understand August is the present time frame.

BTW, both your emails bounced me. Your PMs are full as well. Have you notice the post around where I have noted that I have a new tube amp that I have placed a deposit on. Email me if you want details, lets keep it out of this thread. Sorry folks for getting personal in this post but his email and PM bounced me.

 

[Romanee]

Received Guzziguy's (must do honorific initial cap) form SkyLab today. I'll be very busy all day, but will try to boost WAF and get at least a little listening time in tonight. After that I'll hook it up for constant play ("burn in") and make notes along the way. After having heard Justin's AE-2 at HeadFest, this is a very exciting opportunity.

After I feel it's optimized and stable, and I've listened with a few phones and compared to a few portables (currently I only have Hornet, Tomahawk and Portaphile) and a few home amps (Aria, X-CanV3, RKV-MkII/OPA627) -- I'll ship it back to SkyLab so he can determine whether or not he hears any change from what he heard -- though sense memory, of course, is not very dependable.

Actually, sense memory isn't always that bad, since I do have a reasonable clear recollection of comparing Asr's virgin AE-2 with his mature AE-1, and then hearing Justin's well-played AE-2 demos.

…later…

 

[oicdn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Skylab, I know you've done a blind comparison between the Aria and Tomahawk, but have you done any other blind comparisons? I would love to read such an assessment on a variety of amps. I suspect that when price, portability, and looks are taken out of the equation, many will have difficulty determining which amp is "better" and which is "worse." If the results show that a sub-$100 sounds about the same as a $500 amp, it would greatly help those of us who are financially challenged. The listening impressions by you and other Head-fiers are valuable and greatly appreciated, but I long for something on a more absolute scale - i.e. "if getting the HD650 took your system from a 5 to an 8, upgrading to this amp will improve that to an 8.5." Has anything like this been attempted? If not, is it feasible?

Check out my amp thread (in my sig)...

Skylabs is a proper review for those looking into sound quality being the last word, which is the way it should be. No doubt about that.

But us mere mortals sometimes have to deal with fundage

Especially me, as most fo the time, I'm as broke as a joke. My review takes what you described into consideration. Example? The PRII is my favorite amp by far...but it's #5 in the ranks...mainly because of price, ergos, etc...

Check it out. The more amp reviews we have bumped to the top, the better...

 

[Romanee]

AE-2 update. Having received Guzziguy's AE-2 (which he hasn't yet heard!) from SkyLab this morning, I returned home late tonight and still didn't have time to hook it up.

Typically, allergies woke me up around 4:30am so I set up the AE-2 side-by-side with Hornet, Tomahawk, Portaphile Maxed and MiniBox-E with my DT880-250/2005 for a quick check.

Time will tell, but to my ears the AE-2 sounds like an amp in need of lots more "burn in". It's definitely presenting some grit, slightly harsh edges, lack or air and quiet backgrounds, etc. -- overall not as musical or enjoyable as the other amps. It's not bad -- rather similar to the AE-1, though with a more contiguous spectrum. It seems to be rather edgy or fatiguing with more "artificial detail" than inner detail, none of which I felt about Justin's AE-2 units at HeadFest. In fact the early prototypes I heard were smoother, if less quick and snappy.

I've hooked it up to iTunes set to "repeat all" and the wall wart connected for 24/7 play. I'll check it periodically for progress.

BTW - the MiniBox-E holds up nicely for the price against the other 3 amps, but mainly with the bass boost on. With the boost off, it's rather bass lean and midrange thin. With boost on the bass-thru-mids are warm and pleasantly forward. I'll have to collate my listening notes and write something more comprehensive on it.

This isn't the right time for me to write more about anything, so that's it for now.

 

[Dexter Morgan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have no comment on that - I don't think blind comparisons are the best way to judge audio components. But PLEASE let us not debate it in this thread

This comment astounds me. Can you suggest somewhere else where we CAN debate this?

 

[Skylab]

It should astound you at all. If we start to debate it here this thread will fill up with a whole bunch of useless opinions on the matter (on both sides) and the thread will go horribly off-topic. Start a new thread about blind testing if you want to incite a riot. But NOT in my review thread, PLEASE.

Note that there are some head-fi forums where you are not allowed to discuss blind testing at all. It's allowed in the amp forum, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not derail this thread with such a debate.

 

[Dexter Morgan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif It should astound you at all. If we start to debate it here this thread will fill up with a whole bunch of useless opinions on the matter (on both sides) and the thread will go horribly off-topic. Start a new thread about blind testing if you want to incite a riot. But NOT in my review thread, PLEASE. Note that there are some head-fi forums where you are not allowed to discuss blind testing at all. It's allowed in the amp forum, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not derail this thread with such a debate.

No, please don't get me wrong, I was not surprised by your fear of this thread going off-topic. I was just utterly confounded about your comment on blind tests in the first place because, at least to my understanding, there is no debate on this. Your comment came off to me like, "The world is flat," but maybe there are scientific arguments against blind tests that I'm unaware of? If anyone is aware of such a counterargument, please PM me to start a thread. Otherwise, I have little interest in debating your interpretation of your experience.

 

[Goh]

Skylab, have you contacted anyone to try and procure an updated Xin Supermicro 4 or Xin Reference amp for comparison?

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Skylab, have you contacted anyone to try and procure an updated Xin Supermicro 4 or Xin Reference amp for comparison?

I am going to buy a Reference when they truly become available. Reviewing Xin amps is a bit of an exercise in frustration because it seems there is perpetually an upgraded version available