I think it was about 6 weeks or so, but might vary. Oishi San will give you precise timing and also update you as needed. Shipping was super swift and packaging was quite refreshing - comes in a sort of Japanese Tupperware style box.
The Utsusemi-Works Thread (Sound Dragon, Sound Tiger)
- Thread starter Nostoi
- Start date
Sorry, I forgot to ask in one post.
Jak długo współpracuje z Fujitsu?
Working with the batteries? Not sure I follow, but he advocates the white ones. I compared briefly between the white Fujitsu and black Eneloop and couldn't tell much difference, but maybe I don't have golden ears.
Sorry for my English, I meant the time?
6 weeks for delivery but drop him a line to verify.
How long has he been playing on Fujitsu (4-8 hours)?
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Oh, how long does the amp run! ("He" is confusing, doesn't make sense when referring to objects in English). About 8 hours at least.
weexisttocease
Headphoneus Supremus
Sound Dragon sounds interesting. It seems to complement the Sinfonia. You were double amping with the AMP14?I just ordered a Sinfonia after listening today at the Headphone FestivalIt's very clean, quiet, full/rich, resolving sound. Driven straight from DX320 Amp14, it retains the NuTube organic characteristics whilst adding some fuller definition to each notes, and cleaning up any background noise
The Loud was there too, which is smaller. They both sound similar, but I liked the Sinfonia better due to its wider stage and more 'open' out-of-the-head sound. Though they weren't drastic, more like 10-20% better performing on Sinfonia than Loud, so you won't notice too much of a difference
The Sinfonia & Loud take 2 weeks to make for current orders. And if you order directly during the festival, you could buy on the spot (with limited design selections), or inquire for different-colored platings or body to be shipped the following business day. For 66000 yen it's really good value to performance. With Fujitsu white, 10 hours usage from full charge
Sound Dragon 3.5mm was also there, and the maker said he's revising it right now, and it'll be finished late December approximately. It was also as or if not more impressive than Sinfonia. Connecting my Xperia phone, the sound became so high-res, it's indistinguishable from most high-end DAPs. It's also very good price-to-performance ratio, with estimate retail price of 50000 yen thereabout. I really liked it, and plan on ordering one once the new revision is finished being developed. The bass was so good, punchy big tight and deep, and the separation as well as presentation cleanliness was remarkable. End-game stuff to complete any portable setup
(I can no longer recommend any product released by this company)
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weexisttocease
Headphoneus Supremus
Interestingly you're not first one to mention that the Sound Tiger works well with double amping.
weexisttocease
Headphoneus Supremus
That was fast. Sound impressions?
The Schraeer
New Head-Fier
I wonder how does it fare with SE sources, like Mojo2?
This is a actually my main pairing these days - Mojo2 and Lotoo Paw Gold 2017, both SE. I use a Brise 3.5mm to 4.4mm IC and it sounds wonderful. The variable LO in the Paw Gold is superb (better than Paw Gold Touch Titanium to my ears) and the output of the Mojo2 is clean and benefits immensely from the pairing.
Mojo2/Poly with Sound Tiger Concerto and IE900/Arctic Cables Opus Palladium cable:
Since there's almost no information on the Japanese amp maker Utsusemi-Works and their Sound Tiger portable amps within the English speaking, I've decided to create a thread here with some brief impressions, since it'll likely be of interests to fans of amps such as Mass Kobo, Brise Audio, and Bakoon Products (Satri Circuit Labs), etc.
Utsusemi-Works is a small operation run by Tetsuya Oishi in Tokyo who handmakes all products. Information on their product line-up can be found in both Japanese and English. I had the pleasure of ordering their top-tier model, the Concerto, directly from Oishi-san recently, so can offer some impressions of the buying experience and the amp itself. Delivery takes some time because it is hand built in small quantities.
The Concerto is a solid-state balanced amplifier driven by 4 replaceable/rechargeable batteries. There is no gain/volume, so adjustments are made on the source. For this reason, there is a fantastic synergy with Lotoo DAPs, not only tonally but also because Lotoo have variable line-out, which works perfectly with all the amps from Utsusemi-Works.
When ordering, you can request certain customisations. I opted for a stainless steel plate and the brown vintage looking case above - I think I was the first to have received this case. The build is excellent and exudes both a sense of precision and a sense of passion. The Concerto amp is balanced in and out, but can also be used from a single-ended source with the correct cable. Shown below here with an IC from Brise, 3.5mm-4.4mm.
Oishi-san is very careful about every aspect of the design, including the usage of interconnects and the batteries. He recommends the white Fujitsu seen above. I also ordered an interconnect from a company called Haru Audio from Japan who is working closely with Utsusemi-Works. I have not extensively compared with other interconnects, but I'm very gratified with the Afterglow Resolution IC included in the order.
Let me offer some brief impressions on the sound. I can only speak for the Concerto here. As I understand it from @KKNAYANA, their amps vary in tuning quite widely and also according to region. The Concerto, however, is very clean sounding, with a hint of slight richness in the lower mids and a smooth but precise top region. The overall presentation is taut, dynamic, balanced, highly musical, and immensely engaging. Technical performance is also excellent, with especially vivid sense of imaging and layering. Background is 100% pitch black quiet. No noise whatsoever.
With the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch Ti, the Concerto retains the tonality of the Ti's tuning but expands the soundstage, generates more definition, and improves coherence. On peakier headphones, such as the WP900, the Concerto also renders the overall presentation somewhat less strident without taking away any of the dynamics.
On its own, the Concerto is an outstanding amp, especially at the price point. However, I want to say that the Concerto works *amazingly* well as a preamp to other portable amps. Yes, this now involves multiple amps, but the results are so incredible that it's worth it. On both Mass Kobo 428 and Bakoon 5520MK2, the Concerto adds such an improvement that it's actually to go back to just listening to these amps without the Concerto.
The added dimension includes a truly staggering sense of width and depth, an incredibly "lifelike" sense of dynamics, and a excellent sense of layering and imaging. The overall role the Concerto plays here, however, is to give a desktop sense of authority to the presentation. Sounds hyperbolic but I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to try pairing the Concerto with either a Mass Kobo or Bakoon amp. I also understand this pairing works well with Brise's Tsuranagi amp.
In sum - fantastic amp. The whole experience of ordering from Utsusemi Works was a total pleasure and I offer a hearty recommendation!
Hi,Since there's almost no information on the Japanese amp maker Utsusemi-Works and their Sound Tiger portable amps within the English speaking, I've decided to create a thread here with some brief impressions, since it'll likely be of interests to fans of amps such as Mass Kobo, Brise Audio, and Bakoon Products (Satri Circuit Labs), etc.
Utsusemi-Works is a small operation run by Tetsuya Oishi in Tokyo who handmakes all products. Information on their product line-up can be found in both Japanese and English. I had the pleasure of ordering their top-tier model, the Concerto, directly from Oishi-san recently, so can offer some impressions of the buying experience and the amp itself. Delivery takes some time because it is hand built in small quantities.
The Concerto is a solid-state balanced amplifier driven by 4 replaceable/rechargeable batteries. There is no gain/volume, so adjustments are made on the source. For this reason, there is a fantastic synergy with Lotoo DAPs, not only tonally but also because Lotoo have variable line-out, which works perfectly with all the amps from Utsusemi-Works.
When ordering, you can request certain customisations. I opted for a stainless steel plate and the brown vintage looking case above - I think I was the first to have received this case. The build is excellent and exudes both a sense of precision and a sense of passion. The Concerto amp is balanced in and out, but can also be used from a single-ended source with the correct cable. Shown below here with an IC from Brise, 3.5mm-4.4mm.
Oishi-san is very careful about every aspect of the design, including the usage of interconnects and the batteries. He recommends the white Fujitsu seen above. I also ordered an interconnect from a company called Haru Audio from Japan who is working closely with Utsusemi-Works. I have not extensively compared with other interconnects, but I'm very gratified with the Afterglow Resolution IC included in the order.
Let me offer some brief impressions on the sound. I can only speak for the Concerto here. As I understand it from @KKNAYANA, their amps vary in tuning quite widely and also according to region. The Concerto, however, is very clean sounding, with a hint of slight richness in the lower mids and a smooth but precise top region. The overall presentation is taut, dynamic, balanced, highly musical, and immensely engaging. Technical performance is also excellent, with especially vivid sense of imaging and layering. Background is 100% pitch black quiet. No noise whatsoever.
With the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch Ti, the Concerto retains the tonality of the Ti's tuning but expands the soundstage, generates more definition, and improves coherence. On peakier headphones, such as the WP900, the Concerto also renders the overall presentation somewhat less strident without taking away any of the dynamics.
On its own, the Concerto is an outstanding amp, especially at the price point. However, I want to say that the Concerto works *amazingly* well as a preamp to other portable amps. Yes, this now involves multiple amps, but the results are so incredible that it's worth it. On both Mass Kobo 428 and Bakoon 5520MK2, the Concerto adds such an improvement that it's actually to go back to just listening to these amps without the Concerto.
The added dimension includes a truly staggering sense of width and depth, an incredibly "lifelike" sense of dynamics, and a excellent sense of layering and imaging. The overall role the Concerto plays here, however, is to give a desktop sense of authority to the presentation. Sounds hyperbolic but I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to try pairing the Concerto with either a Mass Kobo or Bakoon amp. I also understand this pairing works well with Brise's Tsuranagi amp.
In sum - fantastic amp. The whole experience of ordering from Utsusemi Works was a total pleasure and I offer a hearty recommendation!
Thank you for this review. I have ordered a Symphonia amp, and look forward to hearing it with my DD earbud and IEM.
I’m confused though by your suggestion that the Concerto sounds great as a preamp for another amp in a double amping scenario.
I’m confused because in your pictures, and in other’s pictures that appear in later postings, the Concerto is shown in the last position, after the first xtra amp.
Does the Concerto work brilliantly, as you describe, when it’s the final amp? the one driving the bud/IEM?
I hope so because with my chain I can only double amp in this configuration!
Thanks
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