[LAmitchell]

Quote:

Why would you want an amp for Amperior considering the fact that they have low impedance (18ohm) and don't neeed an amp? The whole purpose of having Amperior is not needing an amp to drive them. HD25 had 70ohm impedance and didn't even need amping because of it's high sensitivity (120dB).

 
Hey t1tan1um,
 
That's a really good question.  Different amps give different results/colors.  For example, I really like the sound of tubes, so a nice tube amp will give my Amperiors that flavor. But, I also really like the bass from solid state, so I've been using my Amperiors on my home system, and I hear more detail than when listening on my portable setup. 
 
I realize I might seem a little crazy wanting to amp these, but I just love finding out how far I can improve the sound. It would be alot easier if I just left everything alone and enjoyed the headphones "as is", but I got bitten by that damn audiophile bug that won't let me stop trying to take things to a new level  lol 

 
Here's a couple of amps I've been considering....
 
 

 

 

[t1tan1um]

Quote:

 
Hey t1tan1um,
 
That's a really good question.  Different amps give different results/colors.  For example, I really like the sound of TUBES, so a nice tube amp will give my Amperiors that flavor. This past week, I've been using my Amperiors on my home system, and I hear more detail than when listening on my portable setup. 
 
I realize I might seem a little crazy wanting to amp these, but I just love finding out how far I can improve the sound. It would be alot easier if I just left everything alone and enjoyed the headphones "as is", but I got bitten by that damn audiophile bug that won't let me stop trying to take things to a new level  lol 

 
Here's a couple of amps I've been considering....
 
 

 

 
[size=medium] "Myth: Amplifiers based on vacuum tubes sound better than solid state designs, and a good tube preamp can even restore clarity and warmth that has been lost in the digital recording process.[/size]
[size=medium] Fact: Both types of amplifiers can have a frequency response flat enough for audio reproduction. But modern solid state amplifiers have measurably lower distortion than any tube-based design. Most tube-based power amplifiers also require an output transformer, which increases distortion - especially at the frequency extremes. Further, solid state power amps always have a better damping factor.[/size]
[size=medium] Many people - including me - like the sound of tubes, especially in a good guitar amp. When driven to a point approaching distortion, tube circuits react more smoothly and with less harshness than solid state circuits. More precisely, tube distortion has a gradual onset that yields less "buzz," when compared to solid state devices that have a more clearly defined overload threshold and thus generate more high frequencies when driven to the point of distortion.[/size]
[size=medium] Even if you prefer the sound of tubes, please understand they simply cannot restore any quality that was lost earlier in the recording process. All a tube preamp can do is add an effect that you may find pleasing. Studio monitor amplifiers should never have a "sound;" if they do, they are in error. Tube circuits can affect the sound in a way that is similar to analog tape recorders, and you may in fact find that pleasing. I won't dispute that even-order distortion can sound good, by adding overtones that are richer than odd-order distortion, which is, musically speaking, dissonant fifths. However, all distortion adds intermodulation (IM) products that are not harmonically related to the source material, and are thus decidedly non-musical.[/size]
[size=medium] [size=larger][size=larger]Dispelling Popular Audio Myths[/size][/size][/size]
[size=medium]by Ethan Winer[/size]

 

[LAmitchell]

Cool article. thanks for that. 

 

[GSARider]

Anyone tried these guys for cables? Emailed them and they say that the HD25 Cable fits perfectly to the Amperiors.
 
http://customcans.co.uk/s/s/index.php/cables/1m-audiophile-sennheiser-hd25-1-silver-plated-ofc-copper-cable-cardas-neutrik.html
 

 

[roma101]

I've read the Glacier is fantastic. I haven't been in the market for an amp in a long time but that amp is calling my name (owned the TTVJ Slim at one point which is a great amp and similar to the Glacier but Glacier has a wider soundstage and more balanced especially in the bass department apparently).. Maybe in the future once prices come down.

 

[t1tan1um]

Quote:

Anyone tried these guys for cables? Emailed them and they say that the HD25 Cable fits perfectly to the Amperiors.
 
http://customcans.co.uk/s/s/index.php/cables/1m-audiophile-sennheiser-hd25-1-silver-plated-ofc-copper-cable-cardas-neutrik.html
 

"Now the cable is wrapped in paracord" (doesn't say what type of paracord). High-quality paracord is used by the military; it has a nylon sheath and a seven-strand nylon core. Unfortunately, much of the commercially available “paracord” is lower quality; it breaks much more easily, and it does not have the seven strand core.
 
" it is also 20 times stornger than steel giving more protection" Huh?! Really? Are you serious? 
Steel Cable
Obviously the strength of steel cablel for it's diameter is nearly unrivaled, but steel cable is also less flexible, more difficult to tie knots in and heavy.
 
"The cable is made from teflon coated SPC silver plated OFC copper. Teflon is one of the best insulators and size for size it is the best dielectric for audio cable."
[size=medium]The more experiments you are prepared to do, the more you will realise that we (human beings) react differently to different materials, to different colours, to different component layouts, to different shapes, to different angles, and especially to different chemicals and chemical mixes - such as bextrene., P.V.C., polythene., polyethylene., polystyrene., polyurethane., polypropylene., polyalkene., P.T.F.E., Teflon., acrylic., nylon., perspex., BAF., adhesives., paints., lacquers and so on - the list is endless.[/size]
[size=medium]  [/size]
[size=medium] As one example.[/size]
[size=medium]  [/size]
[size=medium] Many people have used PTFE as an insulation material for cables etc and claim that this improves the sound. The engineers believe that the sound is better because PTFE must be acting as a 'better' dielectric. The reason why PTFE 'sounds' better has probably nothing whatsoever to do with it's dielectric properties but it is because we (human beings) react less adversely to the chemical mix of PTFE than we do to, say, the chemical mix of PVC ! When you realise this, then so many things which happen in audio begin to make more sense.[/size]
[size=medium]  [/size]
 
To prove what I have just said previously, you can carry out the following experiment.
 
Listen to a cable or wire made from copper with a PTFE insulation. Then listen to an identical copper cable or wire but this time with an insulation of PVC. The sound will be perceived as better when using the cable or wire with the PTFE insulation. The presumption here would normally be that the sound is better because the PTFE insulation is a better dielectric. But, now using the cable or wire with PVC insulation, if you apply P.W.B. Cream-Electret to the PVC insulation, the perceived sound from this 'Creamed' cable will be even better than when using the (untreated) cable or wire with PTFE insulation !! What you have done by using the Cream-Electret is to superimpose, onto the PVC insulation, a 'friendly', 'relaxing', 'acceptable' energy pattern, allowing us (human beings) to be under less tension, to be able to perceive more of the information which is in the room.

 

[t1tan1um]

Quote:

Anyone tried these guys for cables? Emailed them and they say that the HD25 Cable fits perfectly to the Amperiors.
 
http://customcans.co.uk/s/s/index.php/cables/1m-audiophile-sennheiser-hd25-1-silver-plated-ofc-copper-cable-cardas-neutrik.html
 

 
Certainly silver has always had a place in the wire and cable industry. It's long been a fixture in military and high temperature applications. In the case of Teflon wire, you have always seen silver as either the sole metal present or at least as the plating. The silver is necessary to counteract the corrosive process for coating Teflon to the wire.

Silver is also the best conductor of electricity, as shown by the following chart of bulk resistance measured in micro-ohms/centimeter:

Silver	1.59 Best
Copper	1.72
Gold	2.44
Aluminum	2.84
Zinc	5.8
Platinum	10.0
Steel	10.4
Tin	11.5 Worst

A surprise for most people is that gold is not the best conductor; gold barely edges out aluminum. Another surprise is that zinc is almost twice as conductive as platinum.

But I'd like to draw your attention to the extremely slim difference between silver and copper. Silver is only a scant 8% more conductive in bulk terms than copper! In terms of differences in signal loss, then, this renders silver's conductivity superiority almost irrelevant, especially when considering the way silver is actually used by the hucksters (or should I say misused) of some popular cables.

For example, in the late 1990's an illusive Silver Salesman latched on to this precious metal as a marketing opportunity to sell a web branded "performance vapor" cable to audio and video enthusiasts. I'll call them the "Silver Saboteur." I'm tickled to see how the marketing folks at "Silver Saboteur" have privately labeled and disguised an otherwise normal, good miniature video cable, produced as a commodity by a major US producer, simply by substituting an infinitesimally small silver center conductor. This re-branded PVC cable is then dressed for the part and is sold to consumers at a 1500% mark-up.

It's outrageous how little silver there is in the "Silver Saboteur." In fact its bulk resistance is HIGHER than the LOWEST performing coaxial cable. And it shows MORE signal loss and impedance non-uniformity than almost any pure copper cable made for the same application by any manufacturer. But it does have SILVER in it. Sure silver is a great conductor, but in the case of the "Silver Saboteur" there is so precious little of the precious stuff that its only true purpose is marketing bait for the gullible consumer. It's amazing and sad!

Bottom line: Silver is good, but it needs to be there. If you are considering silver cable, find out how much silver is in the cable. And note that I have not even talked about silver plated cable, where with at least one current web-offered product, the silver plating can be removed with a simple pencil eraser! Nor have I talked about silver's distaste for being flexed very often.

 

[GSARider]

Placed order today for the cable seeing as I damaged mine and price isn't ridiculously high, will post up pics, etc when I get it.

 

[jdaclutch]

http://www.amazon.com/DATASTREAM-High-Fidelity-Extension-Smartphones-Headphones/dp/B007120CI0/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_7
 
HI all, i'm thinking to get this to replace the stock thin cable, as I don't need volume control. Is this a good deal? will this affect the sound quality?

 

[jdaclutch]

http://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Female-Stereo-Audio-Extension/dp/B0076L23FG/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
 
this one also has some decent reviews

 

[LAmitchell]

quick question for those that know much more than I do...
 
which would be a better amp for the Amperior: the NATIONAL or the RX MK2
 
this will be my last audio purchase for a while, so I want to make it a good one, thanks.
 
p.s. I'm already using the Dragonfly and loving it.

 

[MegaMushroom]

6 feet might be a bit much, but that is very nice looking.  

 

[esuhgb]

Hey lamitchell, been listening to the amperiors with glacier paired with the CLAS. And can say the amperiors never sounded better. Its much better than my ibasso t5 and the ipod touch 4g. Please take my comments with a grain of salt. Not good with technical terms.

Its got great bass impact which is well controlled. Nice wide soundstage with forward mids which are clear and detailed. The ipod in comparison sounds congested. The highs are clear and extended with out getting sibilant. It pairs well with my amperiors and adds to the prat of the amperiors. And there is no hiss. The amp has no channel imbalance at low volumes. Hope this helps.

 

[LAmitchell]

esuhgb, nice review, much appreciated brother. 
 
so you got the Glacier AND the CLAS?? awesome!!  I can't believe I used to gloss over the portable aspect of head-fi. I feel like an idiot for doing that, but glad it somehow caught my attention. It sucks to just sit at home and listen to headphones when I can be doing it anywhere/everywhere.
 
p.s. i just can't get tired of looking at that emmahewitt pic. i'm listening to "live forever" right now. i wonder if she would like high grade headphone audio like all of us.

 

[FrozenFlame]

I have my amperiors for 2 days now. So far im very happy with it.  
but the only thing that bothers me is the grip of my headband.\. 
Is there any way to tighten the grip of the headband? coz mine is a lil bit loose. i borrowed my friends amperior and the band was quite snappy.