[Kclone]

I just got my Minibox-E+ today. I was using the RSA P-51. Okay, the Minibox-E+ is amazing with the Ety ER4S. Just great synergy. I mean, I knew would be good from reading this thread, but I wasn't expecting it to be this darn good, right out the box. I am amazed, and I can't wait to here what they sound like after burn in.

 

[kiwirugby]

I too have been using a P-51 for the past couple of months or so and just the Minibox since yesterday afternoon, so I'd be curious about your comparative impressions. I know that any impressions maybe premature, but these two amps provide some pretty bloody good sound.

I am listening to Britten's Young Persons' Guide to The Orchestra (lets you hear all the instruments; great frequency range; good test piece) with a 4th G. 60gb iMod (lossless) --> ALO jumbo cryo mini-mini --> P-51 or MBE+ --> re-cabled ESW9, and am marveling at how clear the music sounds, with great articulation and really realistic sounding extension at both ends. The many percussion instruments used in this piece sound amazingly clear and realistic withe the MBE+.

In truth I cannot really decide (tell???) the difference between the two! I just wonder if the MDE+ has just that more bass extension and depth. Timpani on the MBE+ sound just that tad more real.

Hell, I'll just get another mini-mini and use them both at the same time!!!!!!!

 

[Ricey20]

I have both MBE+ and P-51 with PFEs and ES3X. I prefer the P-51 with my ES3X so thats my main setup now, with the MBE+ things sound really thin and bright but the PFE + MBE sound excellent.

 

[tstarn06]

Agree on the MBE and PFE synergy. Also, the Westone 3s and the MBE an excellent match, with the Touch 2G via Lil Knight LOD.

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricey20 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have both MBE+ and P-51 with PFEs and ES3X. I prefer the P-51 with my ES3X so thats my main setup now, with the MBE+ things sound really thin and bright but the PFE + MBE sound excellent.

I do not own the ES3X but I do know that if you replace the two AD8610 opamps w/ AD797's you will get additional depth and width. Good luck.

 

[musicmaker]

x2 on the AD797. It is what I have on my MB-E+ now and really like it. It gives the sound more body and soul.

 

[Kclone]

Comparing the Minibox to the P-51, the Minibox has a more expansive/bigger sound, and more weight. The sound is also warm which is a big plus the Ety ER4S. The Minibox has the bass boost, which the The P-51 lacks. The bass boost seems like a need with the Ety's. The P-51 has it's pluses though. The P-51 has an exciting, alive feel/sound but at the same time is warm with the Ety's, it is actually warmer than the Minibox. It also has better focus. What I mean is the whole picture is easy to look at (hear) with the P-51. With the Minibox, things are more spread out so it is not as cohesive. Another thing I noticed with the P-51 is a blacker background. Kind of hard to explain, but you know it when you compare the two amps. In the sound spectrum, the P-51 has better treble extension and detail, and a sharper midrange. I prefer the midrange on the Minibox though, it has a bigger more expansive presence. Of course you can here the bass better with the Minibox so it wins in that deparment. Really, what it comes down to is preference. They are both very good, and I could be happy with either one. A couple of things of note in my comparison though, I only used the Ety ER4S so other phones may tell a different story, and the other things is the P-51 has about 350 hours on it and the Minibox has only 25 hours. So I have no idea how much the Minibox improves or changes with more time, maybe others can comment on that and if burn in would have much of an effect when doing this comparison.

 

[Kclone]

One more thing I would like to add is the volume control on the MiniBox-E+. If you move it just tiny bit to the right it is to loud and if you move it just a tiny bit to the left it is not loud enough. It is hard to hone in the volume level because the thing is so darn sensitive. The P-51 has the gain switch to counter that problem. Since I have the ER4S, should I have the PtoS switch pushed in or out, I am little confused. I listen to it both ways.

 

[kiwirugby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kclone /img/forum/go_quote.gif Comparing the Minibox to the P-51, the Minibox has a more expansive/bigger sound, and more weight. The sound is also warm which is a big plus the Ety ER4S. The Minibox has the bass boost, which the The P-51 lacks. The bass boost seems like a need with the Ety's. The P-51 has it's pluses though. The P-51 has an exciting, alive feel/sound but at the same time is warm with the Ety's, it is actually warmer than the Minibox. It also has better focus. What I mean is the whole picture is easy to look at (hear) with the P-51. With the Minibox, things are more spread out so it is not as cohesive. Another thing I noticed with the P-51 is a blacker background. Kind of hard to explain, but you know it when you compare the two amps. In the sound spectrum, the P-51 has better treble extension and detail, and a sharper midrange. I prefer the midrange on the Minibox though, it has a bigger more expansive presence. Of course you can here the bass better with the Minibox so it wins in that deparment. Really, what it comes down to is preference. They are both very good, and I could be happy with either one. A couple of things of note in my comparison though, I only used the Ety ER4S so other phones may tell a different story, and the other things is the P-51 has about 350 hours on it and the Minibox has only 25 hours. So I have no idea how much the Minibox improves or changes with more time, maybe others can comment on that and if burn in would have much of an effect when doing this comparison.

Thanks, Kclone. Interesting perspective. I am with you on the warmth and largesse of the minibox. More bass too. This really works for me with classical music. I have tried to discern the difference in the highs, and to my ears, using a re-cabled ESW9, I think that the minibox has it by a hair: upper frequencies of the piano just that tad more sparkle.

But your overall assessment is one I share: they are both very good, and I am glad I own both!!!.....and will interchange often! In fact I have the two of them bundled wiht my 4th G 60gb iMod. Quite a bundle!

 

[dfkt]

Fang is the best, he sent me two (in words: 2) new batteries for my dead MBE+. I stored one safely away at 40% charge in the fridge and soldered the other one to the PCB. It's charging at the moment, but I'll hope for the best, of course.

Any of you guys with new batteries (Tstarn06 et al?), do you have blue batteries instead of the older green ones?

 

[Ricey20]

I think I have a green battery -_-
Maybe I should ask for a new one in case.

oh and the AD797 has that "volume screech" thing going so I never left it in.

 

[dfkt]

I asked my local electronics flea market guy to get me some LME49710. A friend recommended them to me, should be interesting if they make any difference to my ears. Good thing they don't even need a white/brown dog/cat adapter to fit.

 

[tstarn06]

I am too chicken to open my MBE+ so I don't know my battery color, but it's working like a charm.

 

[macfly]

Been enjoying my newly acquired Minibox-E+ for the past week with my ER-4P, Sennheiser HD580, and Grado SR-325 (the older black ones). One thing I've noticed is that it especially excels at bringing forth the lush tones and subtle decay of recordings with piano.

I seem to recall reading something about it being more difficult (not possible?) to roll opamps with the newer MBE+ with the buttons. I've been searching but can't find where I thought I read that...can anyone comment?

 

[ath]

macfly,

That issue has been resolved with the new amps. I bought mine back in March and it seems to work fine with AD797 ( it was supposedly giving a high pitched whine while raising the volume...). I am currently using AD8065AR . It seems to have the depth and width that I'm looking for.

Hope this helps!

Cheers.