[saisunil]

Ordered yesterday - received prompt notice from the man himself. Expect to receive in 10 days.

... while I wait for Dr. Xin to send me my amps...

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I've recently evaluated a USB DAC cable, and used it with the HEADSIX, as well as the iBasso D1 and a Headstage Lyrix amp. I tried the amps with analog input, with the D1 USB DAC and with the Headstage USB DAC cable.

Part of the evaluation covers the HEADSIX and is posted here http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...08#post3384808

I haven't done a full blown amp review yet, but the main parts from that review THAT ARE PERTINENT TO THE HEADSIX are QUOTED as follows, with the final ranking being:

1) MEIER CORDA HEADSIX
2) iBasso D1 with OPA2111 LR amp, AD8397 buffers, AD8656 in DAC
3) Headstage Lyrix Total Pro
4) RSA Tomahawk - ALMOST tied for sound with Lyrix
5) PenguinAmp Caffeine with bass boost
6) iBasso D1 stock

With Rolled opamps the iBasso can be made to sound like an of these I suspect

The Lyrix with the "total" option can also roll opamps.

...THE MEIER HEADSIX WAS THE PRIMARY TEST AMP, since it's analog input is SUPERIOR to the STOCK D1 analog input...

...Step One - Mac Analog out: I first started listening to the Macbook audio out to the Meier Headsix because I was already enjoying the new amp with my iPod, and I was getting used to the sound signature. I used a $20 custom made 3.5mm - 3.5mm interconnect cable. Sound quality was pleasant.

The Meier Headsix has a nice warm sound, with forward mids and wide sound stage. It brings the mids like saxophone up closer, as if I was up on stage right next to it, while the string bass and drums are a few feet away. So, the HEADSIX sound stage is still very open. Without changing the gain settings it will play the HD600 at a comfortable and adequate listening volume with the knob at 100% and Mac volume at 100%. I did not take it apart to change to high gain. It's volume output was similar to the stock D1 amp's output, which has no gain switch...

...Hypothetically speaking, if the headstage DAC was a nice worthy 25% improvement over the Macbook analog when driving the Headsix, the D1 USB DAC was a 75% improvement over analog. With the iBasso D1 DAC into the Headsix, I could close my eyes and MORE easily imagine being there with the musicians. The walls around me were pushed out of reach and the space opened up seemingly to the size of the venue of the recording...

...The Headstage amp with USB DAC cable (or built-in DAC) and the Headsix amp fed by the USB DAC cable may get their own review later, but not here. I will say that BOTH sound very good with analog input, and BOTH improved with USB DAC beyond analog, and both sound better than a stock iBasso D1 amp. This is despite the fact that neither of the new amps has been burned in more than 24 hours!

By the end of my first 10-15 minutes I could pick out which amp is which. The main difference is in imaging, and all do it very well, just differently. (1) The HEADSIX is a little more forward and brings the mids like saxophone up closer, as if I was up on stage right NEXT to it, while the string bass and drums are a few feet away and spread apart - so the HEADSIX sound stage is still very open. (2) The Headstage Lyrix USB Pro Total is a just a little more distant, so everything seems on stage and a few feet away, but it still puts you the listener on the FIRST row with a wide sound stage. (3) However, the stock D1 amp puts you back in the 10th row, sounding a little distant. At first that gave the illusion of a bigger sound stage, because you could get farther away from the instruments, but now except for music recorded in a stadium concert, that is too far away for me.

Once I got a good ALO Jumbo Cryo X iMod dock line out, my Tomahawk started to sound better than the stock D1 too - wake up call. So, I'm also going to order a high quality (read expensive) 3.5mm-3.5mm interconnect as well, AND I am going to roll the good opamps back into the D1 as soon as possible. The D1's DAC has consistently improved the sound of every amp I have connected it to, but the cable is the weak link right now. This should allow any amp connected to the D1 DAC to sound even better, including the built-in amp!

It also seems the synergy the Stock D1 has with the Shure SE500's is not there with the HD600's. What sounds just right with the SE500's sounds a little too shrill with the stock opamps when using HD600's with Black Dragon cables (stock Senn cables sounded better with stock D1). The OPA2111 as LR amp synergizes with AD8397 as buffers better than the stock AD816 and the NE5222. I still have LT4562 and LME49720 to try as buffers, and an AD746, AD6234 and 6241-HV to try as LR opamps, blah blah blah...

Overall, I believe I prefer the warmer more forward sound of the Headsix the most out of all my amps, with the Headstage and Tomahawk a very close second - but with the different opamps I believe the D1 amps sounds as good as any of them.

[edit - fixed one formating typo]

 

[Shiki]

If i leave the knob in the off position but plug in an external power supply, the power light turns on.

Does that mean the amp is already on and I don't need to turn the knob to the on position (after the 'click')?

 

[yobs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snaques /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any experiences from Westone UM-1 or UM-2 users regarding this amp? I searched the thread and got 0 matches so if someone has the aformenioned combination, I would really appreciate the comments. Btw. How does the amp stack with an iPod. The covers seem a bit round so will it be wobbly when stacked with the iPod with a rubber band?

Yup, I've got mine paired with the um-2. Gotta say, it brings out a musicality and depth to the um2s that i've never heard in them before

. Noise floor is very low, so all hiss is gone too at lower levels (unlike stock iBasso D1).

Bass and punch become far more noticeable than straight out of my cowon d2.

YMMV of course.

 

[emericanchaos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voltron /img/forum/go_quote.gif The good Doctor already explained that he is trying to keep the transaction costs down because he is probably making very little on these amps: The paypal and CC fees are one thing, but processing those charges and handling paypal funds all add the time, effort and expense of each transaction. When he is offering a high quality amp for less than anyone else out there, throwing in a gold-plated mini-mini, a screwdriver and a manual, plus world-wide shipping, plus he is giving Head-Fi 10% of the total, I don't think it makes sense to quibble about $10.50, even though I don't agree that is the only cost of non-cash transactions. In the case of the HeadFive, Dr. Meier simply wrote Jude a check for the full amount of the donation -- assuming all amps sold -- before he sold a single one. He is doing it again here to the tune of $9,000, and I think he is entitled to handle the payment question any way he sees fit. Congrats on another wonderful sales action Dr. Meier, and thank you for your generosity to the community in this and many ways!

thank you for saying this much. don't look a gift horse in the mouth guys. i wish i were in a situation to drop $9,000 on a donation to headfi.

 

[Skylab]

Larry, nice review!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Larry, nice review!

Wow, that's a huge compliment in light of the source

I'm just happy to be a contributor to this site. Being appreciated for it is just icing on the cake

 

[MrJingles]

The more I listen to this amp, the more I love it! I've gone back and forth with my Tomahawk and the HeadSix is just so warm and lush. I can listen for hours with absolutely no fatigue and I've been listening exclusively to Devin Townsend (Progressive Metal)...no problem.

 

[gtp]

Even though I am more of a DIY man, I finally "broke down" and ordered a silver HeadSix.

Now, the excruciating 1 week wait begins...

I'm looking forward to comparing the HeadSix to my Mini^3.

 

[Podster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif Larry, nice review!

Ditto and you've now got my curiosity up on this cable with the built in DAC that for it's price I'll have to un-dock the old wallet again! "Curse you Aqua Scum!!!!!!!!!!!!!" LOL

 

[greydragon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrJingles /img/forum/go_quote.gif The more I listen to this amp, the more I love it! I've gone back and forth with my Tomahawk and the HeadSix is just so warm and lush. I can listen for hours with absolutely no fatigue and I've been listening exclusively to Devin Townsend (Progressive Metal)...no problem.

I totally agree. With over 300+ hrs burn in, the sound is so much fuller and musical compared to the Tomahawk, yet it retains the highs and details!

HeadSix is the best deal by far

 

[Sinsen]

Hey, this really is one sexy little amp.

I think that the Move might have a bit more openess to it, at least with my D5000s, but with my HD25s the difference between these two amps seem very small.

 

[puft54cs]

I received my black Headsix October 24th and it sounds great! Can't wait to hear it after it's broken in. Only took 6 days from Germany to PA. I have one question though, will a stock ALO jumbo cyro dock work with the line in off to the side of the amp instead of in the middle?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Podster /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ditto and you've now got my curiosity up on this cable with the built in DAC that for it's price I'll have to un-dock the old wallet again! "Curse you Aqua Scum!!!!!!!!!!!!!" LOL

I love NEMO too...

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by puft54cs /img/forum/go_quote.gif I received my black Headsix October 24th and it sounds great! Can't wait to hear it after it's broken in. Only took 6 days from Germany to PA. I have one question though, will a stock ALO jumbo cyro dock work with the line in off to the side of the amp instead of in the middle?

Yeah, you just have to bend it a tiny bit to "wear it on the left".

Or, in a clothing taylor vernaculum, "Dress left".