[alwayshungry]

Palantri,
I would also suggest having a good source for your Caliente. While it sounds decent with my ipod LOD, hooking it up to my PS Audio really brings it to another level.

 

[Palantiri7]

True

 

[Greymoor]

The waiting for the group buy is painful . . . So many other Amps tempting and teasing me . . . .Must resist!!

 

[sbulack]

It's not for nothing that Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers sang, "Ya' take it on faith, ya' take it to heart, the waiting is the hardest part..." I've been reading Head-Fi and listening to an album by Hooverphonic on my main rig, which includes the Purity Audio Caliente. Based on what I'm hearing, I don't think that you'll be disappointed by what you are waiting for. To pass the time, you can always read this thread in its entirety from the start ... again.

 

[Greymoor]

Hehe, I am breaking in the HD650 listening to Kate Bush and wondering how much will the Caliente add?

The 650s are at 50 hours and sounding very nice.

I guess the worst part is that I have saved up a bit more cash and can reach the WA6se if I want. So as you see the longer I wait the more evil percolates in my mind. That could also mean I can order a Moodlab DAC at the same time as I order the Caliente.

The waiting IS the hardest part . . .

 

[sbulack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greymoor /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... I guess the worst part is that I have saved up a bit more cash and can reach the WA6se if I want. ... That could also mean I can order a Moodlab DAC at the same time as I order the Caliente. The waiting IS the hardest part . . .

I am using a HeadRoom 2007 Ultra Micro DAC in my main rig to provide analog audio to the Caliente. I've made a number of improvements to the original audio path in which I placed the Calient. Every time, I've seen that it was not the Caliente that was limiting the overall sound quality of the rig. I can say from experience that a solidly performing DAC to feed the Caliente can be a cost-effective investment in audio which is able to amaze and delight the music lover in each of us. And really, that's what I'm in this for.

 

[Palantiri7]

Moving past 200 hours on the Caliente, and, boy, the bass has improved mightily; the HD 650s are pummeling my poor little eardrums. Slightly more air now. Cool.

 

[sbulack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palantiri7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Moving past 200 hours on the Caliente, and, boy, the bass has improved mightily; the HD 650s are pummeling my poor little eardrums. Slightly more air now. Cool.

I found that, as the caps were forming, the bass oscillated from too little to too much ... <rinse and repeat> ... with the size of the swings decreasing until a final, stable, and glorious level was reached. During that same period, the dynamic range and soundstaging performance had similar diminishing swings until they stabilized as well. Glad to hear that you're noticing the changes which show that the Caliente is ripening to its fulness.

When all of this is done, you may well find that you prefer the presentation of the sound from your tube amp. With 300-400 hours of use on the Caliente, though, your comparison and decision will be based on the real and stable performance of both amps and will give you more reliable information about the sound and listening equipment your ear prefers.

 

[rakster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palantiri7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Moving past 200 hours on the Caliente, and, boy, the bass has improved mightily; the HD 650s are pummeling my poor little eardrums. Slightly more air now. Cool.

This is encouraging, Palantiri7, because I've been experiencing the same thing. I've had my (plain) KICAS for 4 months, but I've got only about 30 hours or so on it though. Been burning by D5000's in lately using my Harmon Kardon receiver though and when I check the cans on that, the bass sounds much fuller, deeper, cleaner, and tighter. It's really been worrying me. On the KICAS, the bass is a little thin and the highs are sounding sorta harsh and brittle. I've got a 35' analog run from source to KICAS and was worried the cable length might be the problem although Kevin Gilmore and amb both helped reassure me that that cable length was ok prior to me putting together the setup. Guess it's time to start burning in the KICAS!

 

[Palantiri7]

Thanks guys. Good to know I'm not hallucinating.

 

[slypher]

I have been hearing the same thing. I am at about 50 hours of use and the bass droped off at a piont but has now returned. It is good to know that it is part of the prosses as I was not to fond of the change in sound.

 

[oinkbanana]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hoodlum /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would like to know the maximum power at different impedances as well.

here's the answer i got

Quote:

Here's Peter's answer: Having calculated the maximum power for HD650, one can calculate how loud the headphones will sound. For this purpose the headphones' SPL figure is used. It usualy specifies the sound pressure level when headphone is driven by 1 mW. In case of HD650 the SPL is 102dB (if I am not mistaken). Our amp can deliver max 27 mW to HD650. If we assume 1 mW as 0dB reference, the 27dB is +14 dB (calculated as "10 * log (27 mW / 1 mW)"). Therefore our amp can drive HD650 up to 102 dB + 14 dB = 116 dB level. The is the maximum what is possible. When the signal source is a CD player, the output power would be 6.7mW which is +8.3 dB which gives the 102dB + 8.2dB = 110.2dB loudness. To put those figures into perspective: the 110 dB loudness is about as loud as a concert hall during loud passages and 116 dB is four times louder (a rock concert). In any case, listening to music at levels above 90dB for prolonged periods of time can impair hearing. I hope this helps.

i need an spl meter to measure what I consider loud at a rock concert.
how loud is it with my face an inch from my marshall stack all knobs at 11?

 

[Skylab]

I think listening to headphones for long periods of time above 80db is unsafe.

 

[sbulack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think listening to headphones for long periods of time above 80db is unsafe.

Good point Skylab. The OSHA rules of thumb are: An SPL above 80db damages the hearing - how much damage is related to a) how far above 80db the SPL is and b) how long the ears are exposed to the sound at that level. Sound at an SPL below 80db can be listened to indefinitely without hearing damage. I bought an SPL meter to enable me to ensure that my listening levels are hearing-friendly. For me, it'd be a BIG downer to realize too late that the sense through which I probably achieve the greatest measure of life enhancement had become damaged during my own listening.

 

[Skylab]

Yep - it's nice to listen below 80db, because then you don't have to worry about it!