Rick Hunter
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2006
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The "M" Hornet landed today... Together with an ALO Jumbo Cryo Dock for my Ipod...
Build quality is top notch for both items: Ray and Ken are skilled professionals and their products are nothing short of spectacular.
Here's a picture of my new rig, listening impressions will follow.
Listening Impressions with a fully burnt-in HD595 (after only 24 hours of burn-in for both the cable and the amp)
I first got the cable in the morning, and so swapped from ipod/bling bling dock/ldm+ to ipod/jumbo cryo dock/ldm+
I immediately noticed a larger soundstage in respect to the bling bling, as well as more detail and instrument separation, and a bit more extension in the lowest frequencies. The overall tonal balance was more natural, warmer and "fatter" than the bling bling, which instead can be a tiny thin/harsh at times, on some records. Overall a great interconnect, plus it's sturdy and can be bent back and forth without breaking, unlike the bling bling which has to be taken care of.
I was already happy with the new cable: I had a larger soundstage, more instrument separation and detail, and I finally got rid of the tonal balance of the bling bling (which I didn't like with my HD595, it gave them too much higher mids/ lower highs)
The overall setup was sounding more refined and more natural...
Then the doorbell rang... OMG it's FedEx with Ray's Hornet...
So I unplug the LDM+, plug The Hornet, and fire it up...
And after a good 4 hours of non stop listening I was like OMG this thing is AMAZING.
My comparison is with a fully burnt-in LDM+ (300 hours+)
The Hornet walks all over the LDM+ in every department.
Power, dynamics, low and high extension, instrument separation, soundstage, details, floor noise, build quality, notes attack & decay..
Of course it costs 6 times as much so it's an unfair comparison but that's it.
It's like I'm listening to my music for the first time, everything is so well portrayed... I can hear every single instrument very very well (great instrument separation) and every single instrument has a livelier, bigger sound with harmonics and nuances I never knew where there... I can hear bass lines and soft cymbals sweeps that I couldn't hear with the LDM+... that's how well The Hornet goes down in the bass and up in the highs... and it still has to go under burn-in!
One last note on build quality: it's simply the best built portable audio device I've ever owned/seen in my whole friggin' life, bar none. Sturdy, small, inredible fit & finish, and it looks damn sexy too.
I will resume this thread as soon as I reach the famous magic 400 hours mark on the amp, to write more elaborate thoughts.
Build quality is top notch for both items: Ray and Ken are skilled professionals and their products are nothing short of spectacular.
Here's a picture of my new rig, listening impressions will follow.
Listening Impressions with a fully burnt-in HD595 (after only 24 hours of burn-in for both the cable and the amp)
I first got the cable in the morning, and so swapped from ipod/bling bling dock/ldm+ to ipod/jumbo cryo dock/ldm+
I immediately noticed a larger soundstage in respect to the bling bling, as well as more detail and instrument separation, and a bit more extension in the lowest frequencies. The overall tonal balance was more natural, warmer and "fatter" than the bling bling, which instead can be a tiny thin/harsh at times, on some records. Overall a great interconnect, plus it's sturdy and can be bent back and forth without breaking, unlike the bling bling which has to be taken care of.
I was already happy with the new cable: I had a larger soundstage, more instrument separation and detail, and I finally got rid of the tonal balance of the bling bling (which I didn't like with my HD595, it gave them too much higher mids/ lower highs)
The overall setup was sounding more refined and more natural...
Then the doorbell rang... OMG it's FedEx with Ray's Hornet...
So I unplug the LDM+, plug The Hornet, and fire it up...
And after a good 4 hours of non stop listening I was like OMG this thing is AMAZING.
My comparison is with a fully burnt-in LDM+ (300 hours+)
The Hornet walks all over the LDM+ in every department.
Power, dynamics, low and high extension, instrument separation, soundstage, details, floor noise, build quality, notes attack & decay..
Of course it costs 6 times as much so it's an unfair comparison but that's it.
It's like I'm listening to my music for the first time, everything is so well portrayed... I can hear every single instrument very very well (great instrument separation) and every single instrument has a livelier, bigger sound with harmonics and nuances I never knew where there... I can hear bass lines and soft cymbals sweeps that I couldn't hear with the LDM+... that's how well The Hornet goes down in the bass and up in the highs... and it still has to go under burn-in!
One last note on build quality: it's simply the best built portable audio device I've ever owned/seen in my whole friggin' life, bar none. Sturdy, small, inredible fit & finish, and it looks damn sexy too.
I will resume this thread as soon as I reach the famous magic 400 hours mark on the amp, to write more elaborate thoughts.
