[Shane D]

Zeppelin was an institution. Literally the biggest band in the world, around 1975-1977. The thing is there is no explaining to kids today as to the force they were. It’s hard to conceive the limited media output of the mid-1970s. There were magazines, and a small amount of TV. They did concerts and put out LPs and tapes. But FM radio was truly kind to Zeppelin later!

Also Zep was the very first to try and exploit the LP format. If you listen carefully even the very first album was actually made to be played as 2 sides. Not individual songs, a first really for store bought music!

I remember KLOS radio playing whole sides of Pink Floyd and Zep in 1975. Though they did make white label promo 45s (for radio) of Stairway to Heaven, it actually fit on a 45 RPM. Still the longevity of rock albums was different then, there was less of them, so an album like Zep 4 which came out in 1971 lasted a long time in popular culture!

I was introduced to them by a friend in 73/74. We were high AF, dropped by his house and he put on Black Dog. Done deal and I was hooked for life. Pull them out a couple of times a year.

Trying to veer back on to the thread subject:

 

[Apathetic]

Very nice! I had the chance to audition the ssame headpjhone amp while in Japan recently and liked it. What do you use as a source with the DAC? Your PC?
How do the Mass Kobo amps compare to the Bakoon HDA-5210MK4? Unfortunately, I would not find a place to audition Mass Kobo products.

 

[Redcarmoose]

I was introduced to them by a friend in 73/74. We were high AF, dropped by his house and he put on Black Dog. Done deal and I was hooked for life. Pull them out a couple of times a year.

Trying to veer back on to the thread subject:

I think Zeppelin could and should create a derailment of this thread. It's the basis to why we are all here.....the music! Same here, around 72/73 my Mom and I found a bootleg tape at Sears which was not even inside a tape case. Simply a psychedelic painting of two guys jamming-out on guitars. Then the tape was bubble-wrapped inside...floating. Side A had three songs from Zep 1, and side B had three songs from Black Sabbath 1. At 11 years old I had no idea of drugs except I knew what pot smelled like. I didn't know either band until I played the tape on my cassette player. My ears thank me now that it only got as loud as a mono tape player speaker could go. I had room for volume changes at a future date.

 

[Nostoi]

Very nice! I had the chance to audition the ssame headpjhone amp while in Japan recently and liked it. What do you use as a source with the DAC? Your PC?
How do the Mass Kobo amps compare to the Bakoon HDA-5210MK4? Unfortunately, I would not find a place to audition Mass Kobo products.

Thanks! And I'm glad you had the chance to try it. What headphones did you use out of interest?

The DAC is connected directly to my PC; all media played locally from Roon (no streaming whatsoever). I was previously going USB to coax via this Bakoon adapter, but the 9740 basically has this technology already inbuilt so now it's just direct on USB to PC.

As for Mass Kobo, I love it as much as Bakoon. It's more of an all-rounder in terms of headphone pairings, but at the same time very precise, technically super sharp/incisive, with excellent layering/imaging/detail. It's by far the most resolving portable SS amp I've heard and will upscale any source to the next tier, in my experience (rendered my Hugo 2 basically expendable since Mojo 2 and Mass Kobo outperformed it) . It's hard to compare directly with Bakoon, because they use very different technologies. The 5210MK4 has greater authority in every sense while also being more "natural" than the Mass Kobo (I could see why some people might characterize Mass Kobo as being, for example, too forensic or clinical). Compared to Mass Kobo, the Bakoon presentation is overall effortless, completely natural, yet exerts a supreme grip when paired with the right headphones. There is something very unique about Bakoon that you won't find in other amps.

Sorry if that's vague, but hope it helps.

BTW: you could have demoed Mass Kobo here.

 

[Apathetic]

Thanks! And I'm glad you had the chance to try it. What headphones did you use out of interest?

The DAC is connected directly to my PC; all media played locally from Roon (no streaming whatsoever). I was previously going USB to coax via this Bakoon adapter, but the 9740 basically has this technology already inbuilt so now it's just direct on USB to PC.

As for Mass Kobo, I love it as much as Bakoon. It's more of an all-rounder in terms of headphone pairings, but at the same time very precise, technically super sharp/incisive, with excellent layering/imaging/detail. It's by far the most resolving portable SS amp I've heard and will upscale any source to the next tier, in my experience (rendered my Hugo 2 basically expendable since Mojo 2 and Mass Kobo outperformed it) . It's hard to compare directly with Bakoon, because they use very different technologies. The 5210MK4 has greater authority in every sense while also being more "natural" than the Mass Kobo (I could see why some people might characterize Mass Kobo as being, for example, too forensic or clinical). Compared to Mass Kobo, the Bakoon presentation is overall effortless, completely natural, yet exerts a supreme grip when paired with the right headphones. There is something very unique about Bakoon that you won't find in other amps.

Sorry if that's vague, but hope it helps.

BTW: you could have demoed Mass Kobo here.

I tried it with the DCA Stealth, reallly liked the pairing. I had the chance to see the difference that the matching pre-a,p does. Really liked it overall. Indeed the dealer told me that 9740 comes with a noise filter. Seems like the ideal setup for a PC.

Thanks for the description, it gives me a general idea! Is that place you lonked to at this address? 1-2-12 Otowacho, Fujieda-City , Shizuoka 426-0087 JAPAN

I am back in Tokyo in a few months, so I will try going there this time

Edit: Oups, my mistake, that studio is in Taksaki, Gunma?

 

[Nostoi]

I tried it with the DCA Stealth, reallly liked the pairing. I had the chance to see the difference that the matching pre-a,p does. Really liked it overall. Indeed the dealer told me that 9740 comes with a noise filter. Seems like the ideal setup for a PC.

Thanks for the description, it gives me a general idea! Is that place you lonked to at this address? 1-2-12 Otowacho, Fujieda-City , Shizuoka 426-0087 JAPAN

I am back in Tokyo in a few months, so I will try going there this time

Good to hear. Maybe I'll have to revisit the Stealth.

Looks like the address for the Headphone Bar is here:170 Aramachi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0831, Japan.

The address you've given is Mass Kobo HQ, where I guess you could also demo gear

Keep an eye on Mass Kobo's Twitter feed. He often announces events where you can demo the amps. But this Headphone Bar seems to have Mass Kobo and Tago headphones on permanent display. Hope to visit myself at some point!

 

[Apathetic]

Good to hear. Maybe I'll have to revisit the Stealth.

Looks like the address for the Headphone Bar is here:170 Aramachi, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0831, Japan.

The address you've given is Mass Kobo HQ, where I guess you could also demo gear

Keep an eye on Mass Kobo's Twitter feed. He often announces events where you can demo the amps. But this Headphone Bar seems to have Mass Kobo and Tago headphones on permanent display. Hope to visit myself at some point!

Thanks! Seems like I am most likely to audition them when I am back in Japan. Hopefully in May if all goes according to plan

 

[Mr Trev]

It really is. They are a very dark headphone and I am still trying to make them sound their best.

So, we talking AQ Nighthawk dark?

 

[Shane D]

So, we talking AQ Nighthawk dark?

The closest I came to those would be the Nightowl Carbons and I hated those with a passion. Sold them within weeks of purchase. Tried the Nighthawks in the store and didn't care for them at all. And that was a few years ago.

The closest I have to these are the iBasso SR2's.

The bass is massive and the upper regions are thin/recessed. The 3D sound effects on the Pro iCAN really opens them up a Lot. Much like the HE6se V2's and the Monolith M1570's. Soundstage is, to me, very small.

 

[bcowen]

Yeah, they're really well engineered. I use "Bloody Well Right" for testing tubes and new headphones all the time. Great for slam, soundstage, and most instrumentation.

Every song on Crime of the Century is a winner in my book. Music from the college days….

 

[Zachik]

Every song on Crime of the Century is a winner in my book. Music from the college days….

I thought in your college days, music was sitting and listening to Beethoven playing the piano... Live...

 

[Shane D]

Every song on Crime of the Century is a winner in my book. Music from the college days….

Wow, you're even older than me.

 

[jonathan c]

Pffft! . I’m older than some of my favourite NOS tubes … !!

 

[Zachik]

#90-is-the-new-50

 

[jonathan c]

#90-is-the-new-50

NOS is the NNN…