[baronkatz]

Well, I'll bring the PHA-1 this time, so you can play around with it on your other cans.

Perhaps the iQube is a more refined amp, but since I can tune my headphones for that extra refinement, the PHA-1 would work just fine. Plus I can use the PHA-1 as a DAC with my portable devices. The iQube, on the other hand, can't replace the DAC of my iDevices, so it is more limiting.

 
Thank you. The iQube V3 and up CAN be used as a DAC for portable devices (it works with iOS and Android) and that's the best part of it! You just have to get a special cable and it bypasses the internal dac. I used it with my iPod and the ES10s and it was glorious. http://www.moon-audio.com/iqube-v3-portable-headphone-amp-dac.html 

  Okay, Sony wins.
 
They converted me back into a semi-basshead, so... I retuned the DT770 with bass in mind.
 
I wish good ol' @mikemercer can attend this mini meet, because I would love to get his opinions on this DT770.
 
Daniel, I think you'll like this one very much. I tried my best to shave that treble down, so hopefully it won't be too bright for you.
 
Still keeping that smooth and slightly sweet midrange, of course.

Hopefully it won't be too bright for me . I'm really considering the T5Ps now modded to trade for my Edition 8s... The ED8s actually sell for the same price, sometimes more used, and new they are more I think. I just loved those T5Ps that guy had, they are perfect because when you look on the graph the T5P seems to be darker than the other Beyer's I have owned and the ED8. In fact that horrible T70P has a huge treble peak close to 10K, it's supposed to be neutral, but it's far from it. The T5P's seem to be the most midcentric and have the best bass. As you can see the ED8s have the worst bass of the bunch, which is what I always felt, but people seem to think it's a bassheads can... =1053&graphID[]=2231&graphID[]=3791&graphID[]=3641&scale=30]http://graphs.headphone.com/graphCompare.php?graphType=0&graphID[]=1053&graphID[]=2231&graphID[]=3791&graphID[]=3641&scale=30
 

  Yeah, the excess output is noticeable. But it's a controlled boost rather than just extra boom. The amp section of the PHA-1 is very very well-implemented. The boost is even more controlled than the Schiit Magni, which has less than 0.1 Ohm output impedance.
 
The ES10 is still tuned with low impedance sources in mind (namely my iPhone 5), but my DT770 is now tuned for the PHA-1 because the pairing sounds very nice. That bass is really to die for. I haven't heard bass this good with any portable amp at all.

This is what I like about my Nokia N900, it has more bass than most portable amps or even table top amps I have tried, and even more bass and punch than my Centerance Dacport! The N9, iPhone and others cannot beat it in that sense.

 

[3X0]

The N900 has relatively high output impedance as well: http://peskett.co.uk/RMAA/ClipVn900.html
 
This would produce excess output skewed to the impedance curve of the headphones, especially when the damping factor becomes so low (e.g. with an impedance below 50 ohms for traditional dynamic headphones). Since the Magni has such a low output impedance it shouldn't really be boosting the bass at all (most damping factors with it will be 50+ which is ideal).
 
The impedance curve of the DT770-32 is less peaky than on the ES10, and it's centered about ~50Hz. This is a popular area for bass boosts (Jerry Harvey used to swear by it from what I remember), so it's not surprising that it would sound appealing.
 
But I digress...

 

[Bill-P]

Are you sure the iQube 3 can be used to bypass the internal DAC of an iOS device? Because all information points to it being unable to do so.
 
An owner of the iQube v3 already commented that they couldn't do so.
 
The PHA-1 doesn't just bypass the DAC of an iOS device, it also bypass the DAC of pretty much anything that uses the 30-pin connector as well.
 
And the DAC makes a sizable improvement.
 
I think the T5P would be a good upgrade over the Edition 8, but I don't think you'll find the bass satisfying at all at stock. The modded T5P was impressive, but I think it lacked a whee bit of clarity since the bass invaded the mids just ever so slightly. If I was working on a T5P, I think I would choose to make the bass just a little bit tighter.

 

[Bill-P]

  The N900 has relatively high output impedance as well: http://peskett.co.uk/RMAA/ClipVn900.html
 
This would produce excess output skewed to the impedance curve of the headphones, especially when the damping factor becomes so low (e.g. with an impedance below 50 ohms for traditional dynamic headphones). Since the Magni has such a low output impedance it shouldn't really be boosting the bass at all (most damping factors with it will be 50+ which is ideal).
 
The impedance curve of the DT770-32 is less peaky than on the ES10, and it's centered about ~50Hz. This is a popular area for bass boosts (Jerry Harvey used to swear by it from what I remember), so it's not surprising that it would sound appealing.
 
But I digress...

 
Well, technicality can only get so far, right?
 
The topology of the amp is important, too. Some amps with really low output impedance (like the Fiio E11) would still have a lot of bass over an amp that has higher output impedance.
 
In fact, the Bottlehead Crack with 120 Ohm output impedance has less of a bass boost (if at all) than the Sony PHA-1, and somehow it still sounds slightly cleaner and brighter than the PHA-1.

 

[3X0]

   
Well, technicality can only get so far, right?
 
The topology of the amp is important, too. Some amps with really low output impedance (like the Fiio E11) would still have a lot of bass over an amp that has higher output impedance.
 
In fact, the Bottlehead Crack with 120 Ohm output impedance has less of a bass boost (if at all) than the Sony PHA-1, and somehow it still sounds slightly cleaner and brighter than the PHA-1.

Preface: Maybe we can take this offline to avoid de-railing the thread. 

 
You mean the E11 with the bass boost enabled? The FR of the E11 is not flat with either of the bass boost settings enabled, even when unloaded.
 
The Crack with the HD 6X0 series actually produces excess output peaked at 100Hz or so, among other fun/weird things going on in the odd-order harmonics. Quantities of the frequency region would be observable in the loaded FR, while qualities would be observable in other ways like loaded HD, etc.

 

[jonahsfo]

Hey, I'd love to join you at the meet.
 
I can bring:
- Sennheiser HD800
- Sennheiser HD650
- Audeze LCD-X
- Bryston BHA-1 amp
- Benchmark DAC2 HDR
 
If anyone has the Sennheiser HD600, I'd love to be able to listen to those.
 
When/where are you thinking for the actual meet?  
 
--jonahsfo

 

[Bill-P]

  Preface: Maybe we can take this offline to avoid de-railing the thread. 

 
You mean the E11 with the bass boost enabled? The FR of the E11 is not flat with either of the bass boost settings enabled, even when unloaded.
 
The Crack with the HD 6X0 series actually produces excess output peaked at 100Hz or so, among other fun/weird things going on in the odd-order harmonics. The damping factor of the system (Crack + HD 6X0) would still be greater than the PHA-1 with a portable, hence the bass boost not being perceived as strongly.

 
Or we may also take it to the meet. 

 
The E11 is probably a poor choice, but it does demonstrate that the output impedance plays only a minor role in the overall sound of an amp.
 
Plus no headphone is truly flat with its frequency response... so the impedance curve probably plays into the frequency response.
 
As for the Crack, I plugged the 32 Ohm DT770 in there. It would be pointless to compare the HD600 plugged into the Crack and then the DT770 plugged into the PHA-1, right?
 
Based on regular conjectures, the DT770 should be far brighter when plugged into the Crack, but that's not the case at all. The DT770 with the PHA-1 is brighter, and it has more bass with the PHA-1. On the other hand, the Crack distorts sub bass on the DT770 audibly.

 

[Bill-P]

  Hey, I'd love to join you at the meet.
 
I can bring:
- Sennheiser HD800
- Sennheiser HD650
- Audeze LCD-X
- Bryston BHA-1 amp
- Benchmark DAC2 HDR
 
If anyone has the Sennheiser HD600, I'd love to be able to listen to those.
 
When/where are you thinking for the actual meet?  
 
--jonahsfo

 
Hey. I have CEE TEE's Sennheiser HD600, and if he allows me to, I'll bring it to the meet.
 
I'm thinking the meet should happen soon (from now to mid May). Last year's mini meet happened in East Bay because most attendees were around there.
 
Let's see... where would be more convenient for you guys? I'll start collecting a list of attendees and gears list soon.

 

[jonahsfo]

Mid-may or later would be ideal I think.  I'd selfishly prefer the city or the peninsula, but anywhere accessible by car is easy enough.

 

[baronkatz]

   
Hey. I have CEE TEE's Sennheiser HD600, and if he allows me to, I'll bring it to the meet.
 
I'm thinking the meet should happen soon (from now to mid May). Last year's mini meet happened in East Bay because most attendees were around there.
 
Let's see... where would be more convenient for you guys? I'll start collecting a list of attendees and gears list soon.

East Bay would be great. We need to figure out a location. I'm free this weekend and next? From the 10th of May to the end of May might be a problem for me as I have a friend flying over from Norway and might be busy Siteseeing, etc..

 

[CEE TEE]

  Hey. I have CEE TEE's Sennheiser HD600, and if he allows me to, I'll bring it to the meet.

No problem!  Currently listening to Geek Out 1000 > HD800.  Lots of good stuff.  Not enough time.  Will try to make mini-meet, at least some of my gear will.  

 

[jjcha]

Just a vote for the peninsula (I'm near Palo Alto), but I'm flexible as well.  Oh, also sooner rather than later.  Dunno where I might be in a few weeks.
 
Best regards,
 
-Jason

 

[Bill-P]

Okay. I updated the first post with a list of attendees and a list of gears that will appear at the meet. If you would like to add anything to the list of gears, it'll be very much appreciated.
 
I live in Santa Cruz so it'll be a long drive for me either way. East Bay or the peninsula doesn't make that much of a difference. But I'm hoping we can get more votes on this. And if anyone can help me source out a place, or if they would like to host the meet, I would appreciate it very much!
 
It seems we have a lot of midrange-head gears this time. 

 

[CEE TEE]

Hi Bill,
 
Nice working on this mini-meet...the last one was nice too.
 
Did you mean Modi or Vali in the gear section on the first post?
 
Depending upon when it is, I will try to make it with: Focal Spirit Pro, HD800, Geek Out 1000 as well.
 
Best,
C

 

[Vansen]

Put me down as tentative, pending the date.

Desktop gear:
Schiit Bifrost
Schiit Lyr
HE-500

Mobile:
RWA iMod
Leckerton Audio UHA-760
HeadAmp Pico Slim