[bcg27]

The 27 ohm d7000 (or whatever it is) is way too sensitive for the dark star.  Its like strapping rocket boosters to a hampster wheel.  Just nonsense.
my d7000 hums noticeably, and only two or three (at most) notches on the volume knob are in play.  
While the sound was decent enough, it was just very hyped sounding and i was not seduced into listening further with the dark star and denons...  But, i confess, i am hot and cold about those headphones.  Their treble quality simply is not commensurate with their $1000 price.  Their bass, however, makes up for it.  In fact, the bass tries a little too hard.  Haha.

Btw this post doesn't give much credence to your claim that the ds has a black background

 

[The Monkey]

I've heard the Dark Star.  I thought it was fine.  Not bad, not great.  I'm just another data point in a sea of superlatives.  But I'm not surprised that lots of people love it.
 
 
I will note that it went very, very loud.

 

[grokit]

   Quote:

Maybe all the people on this thread like listening to distortion

 
Well I like tube amps as well so count me in that club!

 

[grokit]

   Quote:

I've heard the Dark Star.  I thought it was fine.  Not bad, not great.  I'm just another data point in a sea of superlatives.  But I'm not surprised that lots of people love it.
 
I will note that it went very, very loud.

This is actually the most negative impression that I have read so far, and it seems to smack of...objectivity!

 

[bcg27]

Never said there was anything wrong with that. I like it too at times. My problem more has to do with a price that is not commensurate with performance and some rather over exaggerated claims of performance

 

[TheWuss]

bcg27 - go listen to your beta 22 and leave us alone.
and, by the way, don't mess with me.
you don't know me.  you dont' want to.

 

[grokit]

Fair enough, but it has been discussed that the casework is probably half the value here. And that it's not suitable for anything on the efficient side.
It does pack quite a punch though

 

[TheWuss]

and, by the way bcg27, knowing technicalities does not qualify one to comment on an amp they've never heard.
 
i don't go around in the beta 22 theads knocking that amp.
i'm sure it's a great amp.
 
but since you brought up THD, i'll illustrate something for you about the 2% figure.
 
2dB is the sound of someone rubbing the skin on their fingers together.
go ahead, try it.  it's awfully quiet.  try it in a noisy environment, and you won't hear  it.
 
100 dB is the sound of standing next to a car with its engine revving.
 
now stand next to a car with its engine revving, and rub your fingers together.
that is the sound of the distortion products of the dark star.
 
 

 

[bcg27]

bcg27 - go listen to your beta 22 and leave us alone.
and, by the way, don't mess with me.
you don't know me.  you dont' want to.

I'm sure after that post I don't. But really all I did was quote you saying the ds hums with sensitive head phones. Not sure what you're problem is with that

Fair enough, but it has been discussed that the casework is probably half the value here. And that it's not suitable for anything on the efficient side.
It does pack quite a punch though

True. I think I've said my piece so I'll leave you guys to it. Glad some peoplein this thread can have a reasoned conversation

 

[bcg27]

and, by the way bcg27, knowing technicalities does not qualify one to comment on an amp they've never heard.

i don't go around in the beta 22 theads knocking that amp.
i'm sure it's a great amp.

but since you brought up THD, i'll illustrate something for you about the 2% figure.

2dB is the sound of someone rubbing the skin on their fingers together.
go ahead, try it.  it's awfully quiet.  try it in a noisy environment, and you won't hear  it.

100 dB is the sound of standing next to a car with its engine revving.

now stand next to a car with its engine revving, and rub your fingers together.
that is the sound of the distortion products of the dark star.

dB!= %

 

[TheWuss]

all you did, bcg, was misunderstand.  that's all.
 
the sensitivity of a headphone being driving by 160 volts is the reason for the hum.
 
this is not, somehow, contradictory of my claim of a black background with headphones that work well with the dark star.
 
 
 
 

 

[bcg27]

Actually I'm pretty sure that's the definition of black background. And if you put 160 volts into a d7000 it would no longer be of this world.

 

[grokit]

What if you attenuate the source voltage, could you drive efficient headphones/IEMs without noise with the DS?

 

[TheWuss]

turned the wyred 4 sound down to 50/65 volume.
and am now listening to the denons from the dark star.
the sound is quite good.
 
when the music is paused, there is still a very quiet hiss. 
the hiss did not reduce when the source was attenuated.
however, the sound is much better than listening before with the w4s at level 65.
 
 
edit:
oh, and the hiss is a constant.
it also does not change based on the volume level of the dark star.
doesn't get louder when the dark star is turned up.
 
we should ask the expert, bcg27, what that means. 

 
 

 

[grokit]

Quote:

turned the wyred 4 sound down to 50/65 volume.
and am now listening to the denons from the dark star.
the sound is quite good.
 
when the music is paused, there is still a very quiet hiss. 
the hiss did not reduce when the source was attenuated.
however, the sound is much better than listening before with the w4s at level 65.
 
 
edit:
oh, and the hiss is a constant.
it also does not change based on the volume level of the dark star.
doesn't get louder when the dark star is turned up.
 
we should ask the expert, bcg27, what that means. 

That's interesting. I wouldn't equate hiss with distortion, but it seems like there is a bit of a noise floor that rises with more efficient headphones.
 
Perhaps Mr. Guttenberg could chime in at some point too

!