I have used BG's for a long time and even with the knowledge that they take a long time to truly form, I have taken them out of the circuit only to later put them back in and allowing for hundreds of hours to pass. I have heard changes past 500 hours. They can be maddening to break-in as they can affect the sound so much but when done they are excellent. I have even compared them to very expensive teflon film and other caps and they hold up fine even in the signal path (BG HiQ caps are what I would use in the signal path).
Is the Ibasso P1 rated higher than the Practical Devices XM4 in the final rankings because of the price difference? Previously the XM4 and P1 were tied in the rankings but the XM4 seems to get get higher scores in the different categories.
Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cesar from portaphile did say that the Black Gates need a long time to break in. So I am keeping it a while, and I will report back on that.
It's no exaggeration, but my Portaphile LT1210-1500uf BlackGate NX Maxxed took almost 400 hours to reach its optimal sound. Along the way it followed an erratic "burn-in" curve, which seems to be what your notes describe.
My very mature Portaphile sounds quite different from what you've described. You were close in describing the bass, but the optimal amp has bass definition/articulation that I have not yet heard in other amps.
I understand you don't have the patience or feel the need for 400 hours break in, but that is really what is needed.
Mine has very extended highs that are extremely clear and crisp and very detailed — transparency definitely one of its strengths — and offering a uniquely lucid window into the music. No one who has heard it has said the highs were soft or limited — but rather the extreme opposite. My amp offers remarkable inner detail and precise, layered imaging with great sound space dimension (great depth and height, as well as width).
The SQ isn't perfect, as no other portable amp is — it would be nice if it had a bit more warmth in the mids to make voices a bit more lush — but it offers an exceptional musical experience that you apparently have not yet heard.
I hope you can let it play unattended 24/7 to get past the long break in and then listen again.
on your review of the headphonia, you stated that the bass was the thing that held the headphonia back, but now with the new op-amp, do you feel that its much closer in performence to the RSA amps?
to re clarify, do you think that the new op-amp improved the bass a lot?
Originally Posted by jinp6301 /img/forum/go_quote.gif on your review of the headphonia, you stated that the bass was the thing that held the headphonia back, but now with the new op-amp, do you feel that its much closer in performence to the RSA amps?
to re clarify, do you think that the new op-amp improved the bass a lot?
I think that the new op amp improved the bass, yes, but at a very slight loss in overall transparency. So no, I didn't think the Headphonia got any higher in the rankings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thetargetarcher /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is the Ibasso P1 rated higher than the Practical Devices XM4 in the final rankings because of the price difference? Previously the XM4 and P1 were tied in the rankings but the XM4 seems to get get higher scores in the different categories.
I decided I wanted no ties in the final rankings, and I felt the iBasso P1 had impressed me a little more than the PM XM4. But they were very close.
Originally Posted by Romanee /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's no exaggeration, but my Portaphile LT1210-1500uf BlackGate NX Maxxed took almost 400 hours to reach its optimal sound. Along the way it followed an erratic "burn-in" curve, which seems to be what your notes describe.
My very mature Portaphile sounds quite different from what you've described. You were close in describing the bass, but the optimal amp has bass definition/articulation that I have not yet heard in other amps.
I understand you don't have the patience or feel the need for 400 hours break in, but that is really what is needed.
Mine has very extended highs that are extremely clear and crisp and very detailed — transparency definitely one of its strengths — and offering a uniquely lucid window into the music. No one who has heard it has said the highs were soft or limited — but rather the extreme opposite. My amp offers remarkable inner detail and precise, layered imaging with great sound space dimension (great depth and height, as well as width).
The SQ isn't perfect, as no other portable amp is — it would be nice if it had a bit more warmth in the mids to make voices a bit more lush — but it offers an exceptional musical experience that you apparently have not yet heard.
I hope you can let it play unattended 24/7 to get past the long break in and then listen again.
Best Regards!
I believe you (and Jamato8, and Cesar from Portaphile himself, etc. etc.). Which is why I agreed to keep the Portaphile a while and "cook" it some more. I will report back. I am keeping almost all of the amps ranked ahead of it, so it won't be hard to see if it scaled the rankings.
In the end, of the 16 amps I had here, I decided to keep the Xenos 1HA-EPC, the RSA Tomahawk and SR71, the Headphonia, and the Larocco PRII mk 2. Even 5 portable amps is too may, but I couldn't bear to part with any of those.
Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif SO: It’s now 15 amps! What a project. I am DONE. Time to enjoy now. But here is my view on how the amps stacked up.
As before, this is JUST MY OPINION, but I hope it has been helpful.
Skylab once again kudos to you, my friend, for this massive missive. take a break & let your mind go to some versions of 'dark star'. once you're refreshed i (and many others, no doubt) hope that you'll jump back into the fray and compare the go vibe 6, larocco diablo (if and when that tempting little bugger shows), and various xin amps with the others. btw, how many hrs are on your tomahawk now? your 'competitors' in the tiny amp shoot out review series (
) are now reporting that the thing continues to improve out past 600hrs and is awfully close to their beloved hornet and sr-71 (and they're going to test and see if it's still changing at 800hrs), although they still seem to favor the xin supermicro above all others (please correct me if i've misstated, boys).
Originally Posted by daveDerek /img/forum/go_quote.gif Skylab once again kudos to you, my friend, for this massive missive. take a break & let your mind go to some versions of 'dark star'. once you're refreshed i (and many others, no doubt) hope that you'll jump back into the fray and compare the go vibe 6, larocco diablo (if and when that tempting little bugger shows), and various xin amps with the others. btw, how many hrs are on your tomahawk now? your 'competitors' in the tiny amp shoot out review series (
) are now reporting that the thing continues to improve out past 600hrs and is awfully close to their beloved hornet and sr-71 (and they're going to test and see if it's still changing at 800hrs), although they still seem to favor the xin supermicro above all others (please correct me if i've misstated, boys).
Thanks DD. I will certainly be adding the Larocco Diablo, if that ever actually comes to fruition (and there is no good reason to believe it will at this point, sadly).
My TH has about 250 hours on it - It will be a while before it gets much more, in that I am not burning it in anymore, just using it. But I wouldn't doubt it'll just keep getting better.
gotta say.....thanks bigtime SKYLAB! your review has been great in helping me narrow down to which porty amp i wanna own. its ppl like you that gives hope and enlightenment (i hope
) to noob yokos like me. through your review, its almost like i "auditioned" all those 15 amps myself
ps:now we need u to do all the rest of the amps. hehe!
Excellent review Skylab keep it coming.
I just have one question. How would you compare the dac of the headphonia to the aria? Or to a computer soundcard that you have experience with.
I am interested in the headphonia but it is a slightly out of my budget if you have to consider buying batteries and power supply since they are not included. Maybe the dac will make it quite a deal. Cheers.
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