EFN
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2006
- Posts
- 3,034
- Likes
- 21
Finally, after 120 hours of continuous burn in with load, I am ready to share my impressions on these two beauties. Brace yourself for a long read
Firstly, I like my music much akin to Baskin Robin's Jamoca Almond Fudge Coke Float
- clear yet lush, tingling sensations....
I primarily listen to Indie (Shoegaze, Brit, Goth), Industrial, Metal, BritPop and some Electronica.
NOTE:
Please take note that my review has been done exclusively from IEM point of view. I don't have any other headphones that could be used to justify a good listening trial. So please always remember that both of my amps has been specifically tuned by the makers for IEM and IEM use only
My review was based on listening to the following artists/bands:
- KRAFTWERK "Minimum - Maximum" SACD Hybrid album
- Love and Rockets "Express (Expanded)" album
- SWANS - "The Great Annihilator" (Remastered) album
- CURVE - "Doppelganger" album
- jesu - "Conqueror" and "Silver" albums
- Sonic Youth "Dirty" album
- The Smiths "The Very Best of The Smiths" album
- King Diamond "Charon" and "Abigail" (Remastered) songs
- SCORN - "Vae Solis" album
- My Bloody Valentine "Loveless" album
- The Sisters of Mercy "A Slight Case of Overbombing - The Greatest Hits" album
- Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures" & "Closer" albums
- ISIS "Oceanic", "Panopticon" and "In The Absence of Truth" albums
- The Cure "Disintegration" and "Bloodflowers" albums
Rig Used:
- ETYMOTIC MicroPro ER-4P (Permanent pod for S conversion)
- Panasonic SL-CT720 PCDP (Line Out)
- Microsoft Zune (Headphone Out)
- Custom Canare ICs with Canare F12/StarQuad Twisted Pair
- Cardas HPI 6"
- Norm Dalgarno's Go-Vibe V61.2a 8620/8610 OpAmps (2.8 Gain) http://www.go-vibe-headphoneamp.com/Home_Page.html
- Ray Samuels Audio EMMELINE "The Tomahawk" (Hig/Low Gain) http://www.raysamuelsaudio.com/index2.html
Sources:
CDs
NERO AAC 320VBR LC (For zune)
NOTE:
Both Ray and Norm are true gentlemen when it comes to customer service. Ray's no compromise policy on quality and communication and Norm's personalized attention to each of his customers - simply superb! and those attribute puts heavy weight on my decision to buy both amps
Method of Testing:
- A/B Tests repeatedly between two amps either with my zune or PCDP
- One full day of listening to GV6 and another day for TH vice versa
The Looks:
Both amps will appeal massively to those who appreciate neat piece of workmanship. For me the uber black no frills industrial look played some role in my decision to buy them. As per expected from Ray, Tomahawk (TH) is second to none when it comes to small details - everything from the outside to the inside is finely crafted. Not to be left behind, I am equally impressed with the work of Norm Dalgarno on the Go-Vibe V6 (GV6) - simple to the core and fully functional to the very last bit - some may say simplicity is sexy
Of course when talking about size, TH is a clear winner. But does not mean that GV6 is big either - both are still smaller than a Credit Card in surface width
One thing that I liked so much about the GV6 is the solid Volume Knob which is very sensitive yet firm. With this regard TH is a bit finicky with the Volume Knob because they are so tiny, so when pocketed one have to fiddle properly to get to the knob - but then again TH was meant to be tiny
The Powerplant:
GV6 is powered by a MAHA 230mA 9.6V NiMH (Built in rechargeable circuit)
TH is powered by two Energizer Alkaline AAA batteries
Bass/Lows:
Bass is superb on both! But it has be understood that by most standard both amps are not considered a basshead amp at all. At first I was hard pressed to decide which one sounds the best in bass, but after barrages of test I aknowledged that both possessed high degree of quality in bass reproduction. Low bass presence and vibes can be audibly heard and midbass never failed to groove my head along with the tunes. No flabbiness at all and extends deep as far as ER-4S would allow (which is quite deep
). When there's bass emphasis in the tunes, it's truly engaging. So, are they equally matched in this department? yes and no. Even from the beginning, TH has a slight edge in bass presence and GV6 is a step below - what this means is that I can tell immediately the bolder characteristic of TH bass compared to mellowed bass of GV6. Again I stress that quality wise both have excellent bass and in that regard they are equal. But most importantly is that both are capable of adding that extra oomph with bass slam that I desperately needed with my ER-4S.
Treble/Highs:
This is the hardest part. Honestly, at this stage I could not decide which one is superior. Both fulfilled my need for intricate treble extension (again not a problem with ER-4S), and what I seek in this department is an amp that have the ability to tame ER-4 treble sparkle which at times can introduce fatigue - BOTH delivers! Plugged to my Panasonic PCDP lineout, I can enjoy truly lush highs which reminded me of my long gone well used Alessandro MS-1, WOW! Both have details preserved and yet not piercing. Hard pressed to decide which one suits me, I switched into yet even more critical listening mode which includes waking up in the middle of the night in total silence and darkness and start A/B ing both back and forth - then I realized that after 72 hours of burn in for both amps, TH have that distinctive chirpiness/airiness and GV6 proved to be the on the lusher side - but both remained very tamed and both extends equally high with no annoying sibilance
Mids/Vocals:
From the start, I can clearly hear bolder presentation on the TH. Compared to GV6, TH have that sweet rounded feel and GV6 remained reserved but feels just right as well. Again I can confirm that both delivers quite well here. But most importantly, due to the reserved nature of GV6, female vocals are less prone to the "SSSS" sibilance. It's a tough call for me because I could not decide which one I like the most - the solid mids of TH or the soothing presentation of GV6, yeah I am in trouble now
Separation/Soundstage:
Yes, we are at the most important part now. Being a full time IEM user, I am deprived of good soundstage. But any improvement that can be had, I will work my way to get them. Yet again, both did not disappoint me. Unlike my previous LDM+ and 2134 CMOY, I can never hope to have some semblance of Soundstage - but both TH and GV6 gave me that much needed space. OK, the difference is in the way soundstage is shaped. For a start, both have equal prowess in separation which allows for good staging. But GV6 surprisingly have more air/space towards the front left and right while TH is trully rounded. One additional thing that I noticed (heard/feel) is that TH is quite audible in segmented layering which is very-very nice, while GV6 has that superimposed layer on top of the other which resulted in seamless staging - very nice as well.
My priority with staging is crowd control. With the type of music that I listened to which is always fast paced and complex (specially CURVE, SWANS, The Jesus and Mary Chain etc), I want them to be well managed and presented without dazing my mind
Again both delivers! equally superb crowd control and I don't have problem keeping up with the fast paced tunes
Transparency/Imaging:
Not much can be said here except that transparency is equally superb with both amps. For me it's quite simple, the moment I am able to immerse myself in the music and forget that I am wearing an IEM, that's transparency. With superb transparency comes imaging - the all important ingredient in enjoying music yes?
Overall Tone/Timbre/PRAT:
We have come to the most delicate part. Admittedly, I would expect TH to outclass GV6 in this department, but GV6 has proved herself to be quite a contender nonetheless. Firstly, TH (after 72 hours) developed and produced full sounding tone at fidelity level I have only heard from a full sized decked CDP at the record shop that I normally purchased my CDs. This is from the Lineout of my Panasonic PCDP. Not to be left out, GV6 also did not disappoint me by projecting softer tone/timbre/nuances which may appeal to a great number of people (including me). Both are equally matched in PRAT, mind boggling speed and resolution that I honestly did not expect from small amps
Percussion, Decays and Echoes:
Yet again both scored evenly on percussions. I was floored by the intensity of drumbeats in ISIS three albums, one can literally see the pounding drumsticks. But scrutinized deeper, I can tell that TH has better control on drum and cymbal decays - a lot more solidified than GV6's swishing after effects. The mesmerizing point when there's echoes to be felt during transition between beats - audible on both amps. Truly engaging
Neutrality:
Neutrality is very subjective to the listener's ear. For me both amps scored high on neutrality scale - strong in highs, deep on lows and solid in mids (despite GV6 mellow nature)
Transients and Dynamics:
This is perhaps the strongest element of TH, fed with uncompressed lossless source from my PCDP Lineout, I can experience full bodied tunes with all the dynamics in the right place, transients interchanged and evolved effortlessly - very convincing. GV6 on the other hand also hold steadfast but again due to the overall laid-back nature, could only pace up to TH dynamics range by a breath - which is quite close - VERY close. Surely both succeeded in satisfying my need for higher fidelity as can be expected from a portable/transprotable rig - no doubt about it
Conclusion:
Well there you go, I stand right now in utter undecided state at which I liked the most. But my gut tells me that I may ended up with the TH as my full time amp because of the size and battery life (projected 400 hours of uptime) as opposed to GV6's 30 hours uptime and slightly heavier build - I am a very portable Audiophile so I only rely on my portable/transportable rig. When I placed orders for both I was thinking that I may be selling my GV6 as soon as I am able to compare her with TH but I was wrong - I LOVED BOTH!
Depending on the budget, I would not hesitate to recommend both amps for IEM use. Phenomenal synergy between these amps with ER-4S that I am very sure of. If you are stuck with budget below $150, do not hesitate to get GV6, but if you have spare cash then go for the the cult like novelty amp that is a Tomahawk. Priced at $295, Tomahawk is not valued for the look and build alone - this is one very serious High Definition amp for the very demanding and it does not come cheap. Honestly I don't mind paying a total of $385 to get my Tomahawk delivered all the way across the continent. On the same note, IMO GV6 is the best ever deal anyone can get for a truly sweet amp for under $150 (consider accessories needed)
Ultimately, IMO both can be classified as laid-back amps, they never gets overly funky with the output and for me this is paramount. To be even more specific, TH is definitely the livelier of the two with bold mids and lows and this could hold sway to which suits the listener taste the best. But time and time again I find myself getting very fond of my mellower GV6 which allows me for marathon listening session (until I fall asleep
)
But the final trial will begin in the next few weeks when my RedWine iMod 60GB arrive
and on top of that I will be expecting my overly delayed SuperMicro IV - The ones with the best synergy with my RWA iMod will surely be keepers.
Thanks for reading. Hope this helps
Firstly, I like my music much akin to Baskin Robin's Jamoca Almond Fudge Coke Float
I primarily listen to Indie (Shoegaze, Brit, Goth), Industrial, Metal, BritPop and some Electronica.
NOTE:
Please take note that my review has been done exclusively from IEM point of view. I don't have any other headphones that could be used to justify a good listening trial. So please always remember that both of my amps has been specifically tuned by the makers for IEM and IEM use only
My review was based on listening to the following artists/bands:
- KRAFTWERK "Minimum - Maximum" SACD Hybrid album
- Love and Rockets "Express (Expanded)" album
- SWANS - "The Great Annihilator" (Remastered) album
- CURVE - "Doppelganger" album
- jesu - "Conqueror" and "Silver" albums
- Sonic Youth "Dirty" album
- The Smiths "The Very Best of The Smiths" album
- King Diamond "Charon" and "Abigail" (Remastered) songs
- SCORN - "Vae Solis" album
- My Bloody Valentine "Loveless" album
- The Sisters of Mercy "A Slight Case of Overbombing - The Greatest Hits" album
- Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures" & "Closer" albums
- ISIS "Oceanic", "Panopticon" and "In The Absence of Truth" albums
- The Cure "Disintegration" and "Bloodflowers" albums
Rig Used:
- ETYMOTIC MicroPro ER-4P (Permanent pod for S conversion)
- Panasonic SL-CT720 PCDP (Line Out)
- Microsoft Zune (Headphone Out)
- Custom Canare ICs with Canare F12/StarQuad Twisted Pair
- Cardas HPI 6"
- Norm Dalgarno's Go-Vibe V61.2a 8620/8610 OpAmps (2.8 Gain) http://www.go-vibe-headphoneamp.com/Home_Page.html
- Ray Samuels Audio EMMELINE "The Tomahawk" (Hig/Low Gain) http://www.raysamuelsaudio.com/index2.html
Sources:
CDs
NERO AAC 320VBR LC (For zune)
NOTE:
Both Ray and Norm are true gentlemen when it comes to customer service. Ray's no compromise policy on quality and communication and Norm's personalized attention to each of his customers - simply superb! and those attribute puts heavy weight on my decision to buy both amps
Method of Testing:
- A/B Tests repeatedly between two amps either with my zune or PCDP
- One full day of listening to GV6 and another day for TH vice versa
The Looks:
Both amps will appeal massively to those who appreciate neat piece of workmanship. For me the uber black no frills industrial look played some role in my decision to buy them. As per expected from Ray, Tomahawk (TH) is second to none when it comes to small details - everything from the outside to the inside is finely crafted. Not to be left behind, I am equally impressed with the work of Norm Dalgarno on the Go-Vibe V6 (GV6) - simple to the core and fully functional to the very last bit - some may say simplicity is sexy
Of course when talking about size, TH is a clear winner. But does not mean that GV6 is big either - both are still smaller than a Credit Card in surface width
One thing that I liked so much about the GV6 is the solid Volume Knob which is very sensitive yet firm. With this regard TH is a bit finicky with the Volume Knob because they are so tiny, so when pocketed one have to fiddle properly to get to the knob - but then again TH was meant to be tiny
The Powerplant:
GV6 is powered by a MAHA 230mA 9.6V NiMH (Built in rechargeable circuit)
TH is powered by two Energizer Alkaline AAA batteries
Bass/Lows:
Bass is superb on both! But it has be understood that by most standard both amps are not considered a basshead amp at all. At first I was hard pressed to decide which one sounds the best in bass, but after barrages of test I aknowledged that both possessed high degree of quality in bass reproduction. Low bass presence and vibes can be audibly heard and midbass never failed to groove my head along with the tunes. No flabbiness at all and extends deep as far as ER-4S would allow (which is quite deep
Treble/Highs:
This is the hardest part. Honestly, at this stage I could not decide which one is superior. Both fulfilled my need for intricate treble extension (again not a problem with ER-4S), and what I seek in this department is an amp that have the ability to tame ER-4 treble sparkle which at times can introduce fatigue - BOTH delivers! Plugged to my Panasonic PCDP lineout, I can enjoy truly lush highs which reminded me of my long gone well used Alessandro MS-1, WOW! Both have details preserved and yet not piercing. Hard pressed to decide which one suits me, I switched into yet even more critical listening mode which includes waking up in the middle of the night in total silence and darkness and start A/B ing both back and forth - then I realized that after 72 hours of burn in for both amps, TH have that distinctive chirpiness/airiness and GV6 proved to be the on the lusher side - but both remained very tamed and both extends equally high with no annoying sibilance
Mids/Vocals:
From the start, I can clearly hear bolder presentation on the TH. Compared to GV6, TH have that sweet rounded feel and GV6 remained reserved but feels just right as well. Again I can confirm that both delivers quite well here. But most importantly, due to the reserved nature of GV6, female vocals are less prone to the "SSSS" sibilance. It's a tough call for me because I could not decide which one I like the most - the solid mids of TH or the soothing presentation of GV6, yeah I am in trouble now
Separation/Soundstage:
Yes, we are at the most important part now. Being a full time IEM user, I am deprived of good soundstage. But any improvement that can be had, I will work my way to get them. Yet again, both did not disappoint me. Unlike my previous LDM+ and 2134 CMOY, I can never hope to have some semblance of Soundstage - but both TH and GV6 gave me that much needed space. OK, the difference is in the way soundstage is shaped. For a start, both have equal prowess in separation which allows for good staging. But GV6 surprisingly have more air/space towards the front left and right while TH is trully rounded. One additional thing that I noticed (heard/feel) is that TH is quite audible in segmented layering which is very-very nice, while GV6 has that superimposed layer on top of the other which resulted in seamless staging - very nice as well.
My priority with staging is crowd control. With the type of music that I listened to which is always fast paced and complex (specially CURVE, SWANS, The Jesus and Mary Chain etc), I want them to be well managed and presented without dazing my mind
Transparency/Imaging:
Not much can be said here except that transparency is equally superb with both amps. For me it's quite simple, the moment I am able to immerse myself in the music and forget that I am wearing an IEM, that's transparency. With superb transparency comes imaging - the all important ingredient in enjoying music yes?
Overall Tone/Timbre/PRAT:
We have come to the most delicate part. Admittedly, I would expect TH to outclass GV6 in this department, but GV6 has proved herself to be quite a contender nonetheless. Firstly, TH (after 72 hours) developed and produced full sounding tone at fidelity level I have only heard from a full sized decked CDP at the record shop that I normally purchased my CDs. This is from the Lineout of my Panasonic PCDP. Not to be left out, GV6 also did not disappoint me by projecting softer tone/timbre/nuances which may appeal to a great number of people (including me). Both are equally matched in PRAT, mind boggling speed and resolution that I honestly did not expect from small amps
Percussion, Decays and Echoes:
Yet again both scored evenly on percussions. I was floored by the intensity of drumbeats in ISIS three albums, one can literally see the pounding drumsticks. But scrutinized deeper, I can tell that TH has better control on drum and cymbal decays - a lot more solidified than GV6's swishing after effects. The mesmerizing point when there's echoes to be felt during transition between beats - audible on both amps. Truly engaging
Neutrality:
Neutrality is very subjective to the listener's ear. For me both amps scored high on neutrality scale - strong in highs, deep on lows and solid in mids (despite GV6 mellow nature)
Transients and Dynamics:
This is perhaps the strongest element of TH, fed with uncompressed lossless source from my PCDP Lineout, I can experience full bodied tunes with all the dynamics in the right place, transients interchanged and evolved effortlessly - very convincing. GV6 on the other hand also hold steadfast but again due to the overall laid-back nature, could only pace up to TH dynamics range by a breath - which is quite close - VERY close. Surely both succeeded in satisfying my need for higher fidelity as can be expected from a portable/transprotable rig - no doubt about it
Conclusion:
Well there you go, I stand right now in utter undecided state at which I liked the most. But my gut tells me that I may ended up with the TH as my full time amp because of the size and battery life (projected 400 hours of uptime) as opposed to GV6's 30 hours uptime and slightly heavier build - I am a very portable Audiophile so I only rely on my portable/transportable rig. When I placed orders for both I was thinking that I may be selling my GV6 as soon as I am able to compare her with TH but I was wrong - I LOVED BOTH!
Depending on the budget, I would not hesitate to recommend both amps for IEM use. Phenomenal synergy between these amps with ER-4S that I am very sure of. If you are stuck with budget below $150, do not hesitate to get GV6, but if you have spare cash then go for the the cult like novelty amp that is a Tomahawk. Priced at $295, Tomahawk is not valued for the look and build alone - this is one very serious High Definition amp for the very demanding and it does not come cheap. Honestly I don't mind paying a total of $385 to get my Tomahawk delivered all the way across the continent. On the same note, IMO GV6 is the best ever deal anyone can get for a truly sweet amp for under $150 (consider accessories needed)
Ultimately, IMO both can be classified as laid-back amps, they never gets overly funky with the output and for me this is paramount. To be even more specific, TH is definitely the livelier of the two with bold mids and lows and this could hold sway to which suits the listener taste the best. But time and time again I find myself getting very fond of my mellower GV6 which allows me for marathon listening session (until I fall asleep
But the final trial will begin in the next few weeks when my RedWine iMod 60GB arrive
Thanks for reading. Hope this helps
