[ComfyCan]

Talk about a tangled web!

I suppose we'll just have to wait on reviews by the folks who received version IV amps and then sent them back for tweaking to see if GoTo's observatons are unigue or widespread. Actually, I don't think there are more than a couple of people in the world who heard the version Goto preferred, so we may never know.

I still haven't gotten a clear answer whether there has been any actual design change on the Super*Micro* IV since mine was shipped on July 26 (rec'd July 28th), so I don't even know if there is a tweak available. I'm still quite happy with the Micro as-is.

I may buy a Macro one of these days, but I'm going to let the dust settle a bit first.

 

[kaushama]

Yes GOTO I asked Dr. XIN also in the forum about apparent SQ decrement in new tweaks. Your were all happy regarding SQ earlier. I think making amp 100% stable is only one way of several, to go which might not serve audiophiles here. Though the signature of XIN amps is tweakability many would not ever touch the amp if SQ is good.
Dr. XIN has to keep the right balance and compromise between SQ vs stability. I am yet to See comment of instability amongst members who received bunch of 99.99% amps.
It is NOT possible for non-US members like us to send the amp back and forth for frequent upgrades. So much so I am going to order a XENOS 0HA or GO-VIBE 5 as a backup now. At one point I almost gave up XIN amp like several others did, to buy a good home amp like SR-71, HR micro or AE-1.
We all played this waiting game and had immense amount of patience allowing Dr. XIN to finish his work expecting a gem shined by his special skills.
Why these last moment tweaks are so crucial?

 

[kaushama]

Quote:

Xin came up with new ideas and I just tried them and the sound is beautiful. Kaushama, I am happy now changes in resistor, caps, etc and has nothing to do with opamp's. I think all amps would be influenced. Mini has almost the same scheme as Macro. though it's painful to send it in again. But my ears told me now the sound's right and sweet. Xin may put these amps coming in for 2nd upgrade on the highest priority in his agenda.

GOTO2003

Tweaks, Tweaks Tweaks Tweeeeeeks tks!!

If these tweaks were incremental in improving SQ ..........

May be the best SUPERMACRO IV will be the last one produced just before SUPERMACRO V!!!

Just kidding! Its kinda boring without an amp these days!! Going nuts???

 

[aluren]

another tweak huh? i wonder just how good this amp is going to be now that goto had mentioned that the SR-71 actually sounded better than the supermacro. you know i was expecting that the xin amp will surpass the sound quality of the SR-71 since so much time has been put in to make and tweak this amp to optimal performance... i must do some opamp rolling when i get the amp since i've waited this long just so that the opamp rolling will work on this amp...

 

[GreatDane]

Supermini IV ordered June 29 , received TODAY

Can someone give me a link to a users manual or general feedback on use for the Supermini IV? I'm not sure how to use the 4 jumpers. I'm guessing that they're active when the pin is in? So to convert my ER4P into an ER4S I leave the pin in? -and gain, bass boost & xfeed.

I haven't used it yet and I'm waiting until I know what I'm doing.

 

[kaushama]

GreatDane! Congrads on your new amp. We all are happy and envy you

Try here,

http://www.fixup.net/talk/topic.asp?...59&whichpage=1

 

[kaushama]

Quote:

I wonder just how good this amp is going to be now that goto had mentioned that the SR-71 actually sounded better than the supermacro. you know i was expecting that the xin amp will surpass the sound quality of the SR-71 since so much time has been put in to make and tweak this amp to optimal performance...

Yes it should bypass SR-71 by quite a margin! But GOTO's recommendation, being one of co-designers, quite puzzling.

So DR. XIN has started shipping new amps then! I am excited. There were few who received uupgraded amps with most recent tweaks.
We demand (or rather humbly request) your impressions!

 

[Skylab]

I feel lucky that I have my SupermacroIV, since it works well and sounds good

Even if it is 99.9%, since 100% seems very elusive...

 

[kugino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab I feel lucky that I have my SupermacroIV, since it works well and sounds good Even if it is 99.9%, since 100% seems very elusive...

i agree. good for you...seems like the latest tweaks were more for stability/compatibility with all (or most) op-amps. if your op-amp choice is running fine, i don't see why anyone would want to send it in for unnecessary tweaking.

i'm not sure how many amps were ordered b/n 6/29 and my 7/05, but i hope it's zero

should get mine in maybe a week or two? fingers crossed.

 

[aluren]

Greatdane, where are those impressions?? you have the most recent xin amp! what an exlcusive club you're in!!!

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aluren Greatdane, where are those impressions?? you have the most recent xin amp! what an exlcusive club you're in!!!

Thanks guys but I'm still trying to figure out how to use the pins. I've seen the pics on Xins site like this one:
{In this picture, the positions of the jumpers set the Amp gain to 8 (high) and enable Crossfeed}-Xin

I'm confused as to how all of the pins work .I'm going by the pic and I want to enable xfeed(check) So if I want to add 75 Ohms to convert my ER4P to an ER4S do I move the "I" pin from what's shown in the pic .They're so damn small I can hardly see what I'm doing. I took one of the jumpers off and nearly lost the damn thing.

...so no, I haven't listened yet.

 

[aluren]

do you really need to play with those switches to use that amp??

 

[ath]

aluren,

Not really. For most users, default settings and opamps is sufficient. On the other hand, you need to put two AAA batteries

to use the amp.

GreatDane,

What you are doing is right with those impedance switches. Make sure that you put the jumper back like shown in the picture for the gain jumpers so that you don't lose it.

Using a pair of tweezers is really helpful. If you lose jumpers you should be able to find those at a local electronics store.

Please have a listen and provide us poor souls some feedback.

Thanks

Anand.

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aluren do you really need to play with those switches to use that amp??

HA! I wish they were actual switches and not these tiny jumpers. It makes turning on and off the features a real pain. I would have bought the Macro but for what I'm using it for primarily it'd be too big.I spent a few months trying to decide which amp I really wanted.

The Supermini is even smaller than what I imagined. I've stuck some Velcro to the removable panel and it looks tiny while piggybacking on my ZV:M.

I have figured out the jumpers.

I prefer:

-Impedance added( although I've having a tough time discerning the difference)...need to listen more.
-Gain set at low
-Bass boost on (very nice)
-Crossfeed *see below*

unofficial preliminary review:

As I was starting to compare the SM to my HR Micro I realized that the Xinfeed knocks the stereo seperation down a lot more than the HR xfeed. I'm not really liking what I hear with Xinfeed, it almost sounds mono.-I need to listen to more tracks for a final conclusion. I'd like to hear from other Xinfeed users with your results when comparing Xins crossfeed to the HR or Meier...which I haven't compared yet but is my favorite between HR & Meier.

So, for my quick comparison to my Micro('06 desktop module) I used Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue.The disc is a Mobile Fidelity SACD(aka "Original Master Recording") This title has very clean sounding acoustic instruments, mainly upright bass and various drums with her voice having nice reverberation in the studio.I often use this disc for comparisons."Too Rich For My Blood" is my favorite track and is what I listened to several times.

I disabled crosfeed & bass boost on the SM and left the added impedance. I used my ER4P with my Pioneer Elite DV-45A as the source.

Using my Micro I turned off crosfeed and used the medium gain.

My impression is that the SM has a more open(better soundstage??), better detailed sound. With the upright bass I can more easily hear the fingers plucking the strings,etc. In general, the Micro has a warmer(would be a nice word) sound where the SM is less veiled...trying to put this nicely.

I also compared using the line out of my ZV:M > SM vs. headphone out with the ER4P. The amped version was easily more detailed.

The Supermini IV is a very clean sounding portable amp.

I've yet to listen with any other cans that I own but I'm eager to try my DT-880.

 

[kaushama]

djbnh: June 14th
Slappy: June 15th (CC charged on 15th July)
Comfycan: June 17th
Skev13: June 22nd (got the shipping notice on 27th July)
GreatDane: June 29 (shipping notice on Aug. 23)
robster: June 30 (Got an email for shipping within this week)
Kaushama:July 5th
Kugino:july 5th
883dave: July 7th
Nick Christy: July 11th
aluren: July 13
dslknight: July 20
Vorlon1: July 22
airbender :smIV for upgrade: july 25 (shipping notice: august 28)
stevenkelby:July 29
mrarroyo: August 6.

Next in the list at least inthis............ Yeah Kugino and Myself!