[CosmicHolyGhost]

Thanks for the review.
Do you set to High Gain on Intruder when listening to K702? Thanks
 

 

[Howlin Fester]

All my listening was done on mid gain.  I did try to match the volume by ear as best I could.  3/4 vol for 702 but only needed about 1/2 or 5/8 volume for Grado.  Or if you are looking at the vol knob, 3:00 to 4:00 for 702.  12:00 to 1:00 for Grado.  (The upper limit for each one of those is when I'm really getting into it and want to CRANK.)

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

Thanks, HF...
 
Coincidentally, I was curious to plug in my unmodded K701 into the Intruder on High Gain and this amazing amp put a grin on my face.

 

[tvolpe1600]

Howlin: Thanks for such an excellent and thorough write up. Very helpful. The 702s are also my first hifi headphone, and I've found them excellent, though a bit harsh, especially with the entry level amp I started with. Your data on the 702s + Intruder is quite good. Thanks!
 

 

[Howlin Fester]

Quote:

Coincidentally, I was curious to plug in my unmodded K701 into the Intruder on High Gain and this amazing amp put a grin on my face.

@CosmicHolyGhost.  I will have to give the high gain setting a try when I get a chance.
 

Howlin: Thanks for such an excellent and thorough write up. Very helpful. The 702s are also my first hifi headphone, and I've found them excellent, though a bit harsh, especially with the entry level amp I started with. Your data on the 702s + Intruder is quite good. Thanks!
 

@tvolpe1600.  You are welcome and no problem.  I have been meaning to do this comparison for a long time.  This just fell in perfect timing.
What amp are you using that makes the 702 sound harsh?  I haven't had that experience myself.  How much time do you have on them?  I believe that I read somewhere that the 702 needs a significant amount of burn in time, but can't remember where I read that.  Hope you get to try out one of Ray's amps sometime.  I tried the SR71 at a meet in January and absolutely loved it.  Immediately after that, I ordered the Intruder.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

I read in the thread that High Gain is used only when the source is weak and I suspect it will drain the battery quicker.
 
Last nite, I was out and about with the Intruder and it suddenly got no sound coming out. I quickly went home and fanatically testing with SE/balance input/ouput different cables/iem...... because the red light was still on... all of a sudden, I thought I should charge it full again to test... and it turned out that the battery was low LoL
 
If The Lightning is not too expensive, it may not be a bad idea to get it also as a backup..

 

[tvolpe1600]

I used a HiFiMan EF2A with the 702s. I replaced the stock tubes and it sounded much warmer. I blame the amp. It's simply not enough to drive the 702s, and has some serious problems with the gain settings, channel separation, and volume control. It was a good amp/dac to get me started a while back. But I have a deposit down on a new HeadAmp GS-X Mk2, so I'll let you know how the 702s sound with that. RSA portable soon ...
 

 

[musicheaven]

I read in the thread that High Gain is used only when the source is weak and I suspect it will drain the battery quicker.

Last nite, I was out and about with the Intruder and it suddenly got no sound coming out. I quickly went home and fanatically testing with SE/balance input/ouput different cables/iem...... because the red light was still on... all of a sudden, I thought I should charge it full again to test... and it turned out that the battery was low LoL

If The Lightning is not too expensive, it may not be a bad idea to get it also as a backup..

Hi gain is used for hard to drive headphones. I believe it's the combination of volume and gain that will deplete your battery.

Like you, I got caught a few times with the sound dropping all of a sudden, now having been there, I know it's time to charge the battery. Ray has not selected to add battery status indicator. I can only speculate that he felt it would have increased the complexity, component cots and maybe it rubs small amount of energy monitoring it.

For me instead of having a backup, I rather wanna have a different amp so as to vary the sound I wanna hear, pretty much like listening to different music styles.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

Musicheaven, thanks for your explanation. My two go-to iems heir 5.0 and FitEar Parterre are both terminated with rsa balance plug. What do you use to change to se without changing cable?
I have an adapter but worry adding one component will lead to one potential point of failure....

 

[musicheaven]

Quote:

Musicheaven, thanks for your explanation. My two go-to iems heir 5.0 and FitEar Parterre are both terminated with rsa balance plug. What do you use to change to se without changing cable?
I have an adapter but worry adding one component will lead to one potential point of failure....

 
I use an hybrid plug, a kind head-fi user showed us how to build one on this site; it is a viablue straight T6 connector with the female plug attached at the top. I don't remember the link but if you search you should be able to find it. What this contraption does is to join the negative lines of both headphones to the common ground of the se plug. It is a pretty sturdy plug when you are done because of the viablue hex screws.

 

[CosmicHolyGhost]

Quote:

 
I use an hybrid plug, a kind head-fi user showed us how to build one on this site; it is a viablue straight T6 connector with the female plug attached at the top. I don't remember the link but if you search you should be able to find it. What this contraption does is to join the negative lines of both headphones to the common ground of the se plug. It is a pretty sturdy plug when you are done because of the viablue hex screws.

 
 
Do you mean this? Sean @ Affinity Cables helped me to make one. I worry if it will affect sound quality.
 

 

[musicheaven]

Quote:

 
 
Do you mean this? Sean @ Affinity Cables helped me to make one. I worry if it will affect sound quality.
 

 
Yeah that's the one. It should not be a problem, it all depends on the wire and connection construction; silver wires with silver soldering will match you balanced cable. I use the plug all the time and find to be great sounding, no issues whatsoever.

 

[Komkrit]

Quote:

I worry if it will affect sound quality.
 

This is the link for DIY of this adapter.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/661897/mini-balanced-to-3-5mm-adapter-in-my-way/30
 
In that DIY link has 3 revisions of adapter. The sound are different.

 
The sound quality depend on 3.5mm.Plug, Solder and Wire.

 
In my system matching, the good sound quality are composed of...
...Viablue 3.5mm.Plug
...Nordost Heimdall wire
...Mundoft Msolder Supreme

 
This is my hobby. (not for sale because I'm busy with my main work)
When you DIY it, you can choose the sound that you want.

 

[musicheaven]

This is the link for DIY of this adapter.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/661897/mini-balanced-to-3-5mm-adapter-in-my-way/30

In that DIY link has 3 revisions of adapter. The sound are different.



The sound quality depend on 3.5mm.Plug, Solder and Wire.



In my system matching, the good sound quality are composed of...
...Viablue 3.5mm.Plug
...Nordost Heimdall wire
...Mundoft Msolder Supreme



This is my hobby. (not for sale because I'm busy with my main work)
When you DIY it, you can choose the sound that you want.

Thanks for sharing you are an expert now in balance to SE connectors. Looks very professional. And you are right this is no different that making wires, the material will make a difference and I really don't think it degrades the sound unless you throw some cheap wires

 

[Komkrit]

Quote:

Thanks for sharing you are an expert now in balance to SE connectors. Looks very professional. And you are right this is no different that making wires, the material will make a difference and I really don't think it degrades the sound unless you throw some cheap wires

Thank you.