[muddyglass]

Quote:

I understand, but I believe my question is still valid without mentioning the HD600. I'm getting cardas cables for the HD600, and get them balanced. Hope this thing works for me. This would possibly be my last purchase and my full-size and portable set-up would be complete.

maybe you seriously believe that last sentence!!
 

 

[Young Spade]

Quote:

 
how was the bass on the k702 through the toucan single ended?

Good; better than the bass on it powered by the ALO Rx. To be fair though, I didn't listen to the stock cable; I used a BLue-Dragon which gives some emphasis to the mids and lows along with cutting the mesh off the pads so it had a half and half HD/70# sound. I liked it. 

 

[airwax]

I strongly believe in that. LOL. Or the search will never end. It's all about acceptance, enjoyment and satisfaction. I'm just hoping, crossing my fingers, that this will be my last.

 

[muddyglass]

Quote:

Good; better than the bass on it powered by the ALO Rx. To be fair though, I didn't listen to the stock cable; I used a BLue-Dragon which gives some emphasis to the mids and lows along with cutting the mesh off the pads so it had a half and half HD/70# sound. I liked it. 

thanks. i've been considering getting a k702 to complement the hd600 and it sounds like the k702 would probably be driven just fine by a toucan.

 

[airwax]

muddyglass, how do the Toucan sound with the HD600 and the TF10? I currently have both. TF10 with Enyo cable though.

 

[muddyglass]

Quote:

muddyglass, how do the Toucan sound with the HD600 and the TF10? I currently have both. TF10 with Enyo cable though.

i haven't listened to a lot of gear nor am i familiar with all the audiophile terms. however, the clarity and imaging on the hd600 is amazing through the toucan. i'm coming from the ibasso d2+ and it just seems like *everything* improved. i'm really loving this sound, so much so that i've sold the d2+ and haven't looked back.
 
i didn't notice any obvious smack-you-in-the-face improvements on the tf10 though. the improvements are probably subtle, at least to my untrained ears. note: i spend a lot more time listening through the hd600 than the tf10, so it's very possible that i'm not paying enough attention.

 

[HiFlight]

Quote:

@youngspade, I asked the question simply because I have both the SM3 and the HD600. The Toucan was supposed to be for the HD600, but considering that it can power both the SE and balanced output simultaneously, I can have the HD600 balanced and the SM3 on one amp at the same time. Also, I planned not to get another amp for both. Another thing is that the SM3s are so revealing that I could hear how my laptop HO suck. I'm actually using an FiiO e5 to drive the SM3s so as to get a cleaner output.Thankfully the HD600 is a little more forgiving when it comes to bad sources.
 
If what HiFlight said is true, then how awesome would the SM3 be considering how great the imaging and soundstage on them already.

 
@hiflight, how about the SM3 in single ended output on the Toucan? Don't really have any plans of recabling them. Thanks.

While the Toucan can power from both balanced and SE output simultaneously, the huge difference in sensitivity between your HD600 and SM3 will probably preclude you from having both in use at the same time.  At a power level commensurate with the 600's, you will likely be at a dangerously high volume on the SM3.  The SM3 should sound very good from the SE output.  I know that both my Freqshows and ES3X sound fine so I am assuming the SM3 will also, although I have not personally listened to them. 

 

[airwax]

Quote:

While the Toucan can power from both balanced and SE output simultaneously, the huge difference in sensitivity between your HD600 and SM3 will probably preclude you from having both in use at the same time.  At a power level commensurate with the 600's, you will likely be at a dangerously high volume on the SM3.  The SM3 should sound very good from the SE output.  I know that both my Freqshows and ES3X sound fine so I am assuming the SM3 will also, although I have not personally listened to them. 

I was worried about that too. Well at least I could use both on the same amp even not at the same time. Thanks.

 

[Xan7hos]

Guys, I'm driving the HE-5 with the PB1 balanced, and it is incredible: micro details are popping, even "undesirable" details such as musicians breaths, foot tappin, metronomes...all things that the recording has picked up. The bass IMO seems a tad rolled off, which is surprising given that Single Ended the bass has more extension and weight. I'm hoping burn in will help some (burn in for the HE-5 as well since I haven't touched them in a few months).
 
Now the $220 question is the relatively extreme treble energy. Interestingly, when placed in high gain mode (+15db), the HE-5 sound the best to me around the 2-3 o clock range. Beyond this range an increase in gain results in a tremendous boost in treble energy - some may have sibilance issues. Anything beyond 4 o'clock that the amp does clip and the headphones distort. IMO the amp's laid back sound signature helps to tame the highs of the HE-5, yet I don't perceive any loss in details. Vocals seem a bit recessed, though burn in might improve this. Overall, I feel like this combination produces a very cohesive imaging, and I'm impressed. Definitely looking forward to how it sounds with more burn in

 

[qusp]

Quote:

 
This is a question I had, and maybe no one here can answer, as you all seem to have either super nice desktop rigs, or all portables, but here goes:
 
Can anyone compare (or guess, but I'd like a real detailed A to B comparison) of the Toucan/Boomslang combo against a home amp + dac unit (either together or separates) of similar price?  Balanced or not?  Just wondering how this would stack up to something like the Audio-Gd Sparrow or Fun, to the Matrix-mini-i (balanced), the Audinst HUD-mx, Yulong D100, NuForce HDP, and so forth, all of which are the same price or cheaper, though obviously not as portable.

cant comment with the toucan, as I ended my search by building a home dac/amp that was portable, but even with a serious battery pack I have in my portable (22v lifepo4) there is not quite the performance of my home rig. my home rigs sabre IV stage is a DIFF I/O class A mosfet driven D1 running at 100v (+/-50vdc) not really doable portable. but my home rig cost me roughly 2.5 times what it cost me to build the portable. now that being said, I would put my portable up against plenty of home gear without fear of being shamed, there just isnt really the space or power overhead to have a portable class A discrete output stage and regulator.

 

[paulybatz]

I think the price of the Toucan, if it were manufactured here in the US would cost double...and sounds like it cost more than that!

 

[Young Spade]

Quote:

I think the price of the Toucan, if it were manufactured here in the US would cost double...and sounds like it cost more than that!

Oh yea, the american products over here cost a lot more than they are "worth". IMO that's why the T51 is so great at such a low price. In comparison, the iPhone can be made for only ~180 bucks but how much does it cost unlocked? 600 right? Apple tax along with the fact that it was made here. Atrocious. 

 

[hvu]

I am excited just placed my order for the PB1 can't wait to hook it up to my Buffalo II Dac.

I hope it sounds as good and musical as my D10 and as great as all the review.

 

[paulybatz]

Ok, after listening single ended while waiting for my retermed cable...I had a certain impression of the amp...now listening with my HD650 BALANCED...it is a profound difference, when I say profound, you hear everything in perfect balance, no pun intended.  Nothing is overdone, not too much bass, treble or mids...I honestly never thought I could hear music in this way.  The bass is tremendous, I mean the bass guitar is so perfectly presented that I can visually see the string vibrating and resonating, Im listening to a CD source feeding the TOUCAN John Scofiend "A Go Go" and feel like Im in the studio with these guys, not in the studio, but right in the center of the room with the band.  I also have to note how much I LOVE the HIROSE connectors, they are so easy and stress free to use...more detailed review and analysis to come after I've done some listening...but a little more the drums, the pop, snap of the snare...it drives the HD650s not only perfectly but effortlessly, meaning I have it on low gain setting and a nice listening level is slightly less than 10 o'clock...what is also nice about this amp is it is not only clear and analytical but it is not fatiguing to listen to...the music is so good that you want to just re-listen to all of your favorite artists to hear them like you never have before!!!!
 

 

[jamato8]

Jimmy Hendrix, "Live at Winterland", sounds like you are there. Pretty spectacular. The dynamics start and stop with the speed of light. It is nice to hear all the details, and like you say, with no fatigue.