[LevA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wuwhere /img/forum/go_quote.gif This thing is making me re-listen to all of my favorites and not so. BTW this thing does not ring, like a phone when I pick it up or put it down.

I remember reading that they did fix somewhat the microphonic sound with a blu-tack mod. still made sound when hit or placed on hard surface but not as much as the early sold versions where some complained about.

 

[wuwhere]

Bought mine from luvdunhill so I dunno how old it is. These things are hard to come by in the FS, now I can hear why.

 

[LevA]

yeah, they are pretty hard to come by. I saw one the other day and it was snapped up right away.

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LevA /img/forum/go_quote.gif yeah, they are pretty hard to come by. I saw one the other day and it was snapped up right away.

That was me who snagged it.

 

[LevA]

damn, you were fast!

so here's a tricky question. if you had to decide between D10 and TTVJ, which would you keep?
as that will be my situation soon

 

[jelt2359]

Leva, so I see you decided to keep the TTVJ MHP That would be my choice too. I'm now getting into cans, and my TTVJ is my favourite amp so far. Better than Protector, Topkit D10, iQube... I really love it.

 

[LevA]

Quote:

Leva, so I see you decided to keep the TTVJ MHP That would be my choice too. I'm now getting into cans, and my TTVJ is my favourite amp so far. Better than Protector, Topkit D10, iQube... I really love it.

 
wow, thats a big compliment considering the amps you just mentioned there. 
yeah, no plans to let this one go.  it just makes music so much more real tonally for me (classical & jazz mostly). 
and the fact that they are no longer sold, I am babying this one..
 
 
 

 

[jelt2359]

Actually we have quite similar phones- I have the ATH AD1000PRM and the SR60i. They both sound better on this amp than any other that I have. Smooths out the highs and makes everything airier and more laid back. Might be a case of great synergy between phones and amp.

 

[LevA]

I've realized while I like detailed highs, I do prefer them slightly smoothed out.
Also, the ability of TTVJ to give out full bodied sound just feels more organic, real compared to thin, detailed sounding amps. 
 
while there are lost of new amps coming out recently, the TTVJ doesn't make me feel I  want or need to upgrade. besides with my headphones, I doubt there are any other portable amps that will improve the sound since it already drives them to their potential. my next stop in amps will be a tube amp (most likely a Leben Cs300x) for future full size HP and speaker set.

 

[eiop]

has any of you guys compared this to the headstage arrow? or the pico slim? or any of the ~500USD portable amps out there? looking to upgrade from my bricked headsix, and I'd like something that could drive k271s as well as atrio m5's
 
thanks

 

[sperandeo]

I purchased the last TTVJ Millett Portable Hybrid from Todd a few weeks ago. He told me it was the last NEW one to be sold.
 
This thing is incredible. I do NOT have any ping sounds from the tubes. Tried shaking and moving it around. I can see why you all want to keep this baby forever.
 
I noticed a certain "sweetness" within the first 5 minutes of listening to it. The mids and highs blow me away.
 
I am using mine with a stock 160GB Version 7 Ipod classic and I've compared it to my 5.5 gen 80GB ipod and there is no difference.
 
I would like to get a better source into this amp...
 
I'm thinking the new Solo+160gb ipod+TTVJ Millett Portable Hybrid+Grado Rs1i may = The greatest portable sound known to man.
 

 

[LevA]

you can try your luck by loading rockbox and EQ with line out on your 5th gen.
I just got myself a Ipod 5.5gen and loaded rockbox. haven't tried out much on the EQ yet. will work on it this weekend to see if I can get some improvement. 
I also have the 6gen ipod, and although the line out seems slightly clearer and soundstage and seperation wider, I think I prefer the slightly warmer sound of the 5.5gen, with slightly tamed highs. 
 
but yeah, the TTVJ is really nice and I also get that certain sweetness after some time. actually sometimes I feel the sound gets really nice after an hour or two, ..not sure why that is, or whether its just placebo, but I sometimes feel there is more harmonic distortion...
 
as for better source, that is a difficult one. I also thought about the solo but realistically it becomes a brick and unless you use your setup transportable a lot, its a lot of $$..there are better DAPs coming out now slowly so I expect better sources for all of us in the near future.
There's always the imod/whipmod option but thats also a lot $$...unless you can DIYmod and then increase your 5gen to 240gb. otherwise with the new DAPs (cowon D3 & fioo X3 with both dedicated digitial out) thats coming out not sure it is worth the money spent. I suspect we will see more and more imods for sale as better DAPs come out. I think the use of imod has passed its time and coming to an end in its sound advantage compared to others. of course they still sound nice and will hold their own in sound, but will lose out in functionality, battery, size etc. though they are king in size once you bump it up to 240gb. and the reason why I got the 5th gen, I really like loading up all my music as I do travel frequently and like going away on weekends etc. 
 
EDIT***
for the ping, I don't get it unless I bump it. so shaking and walking with it I have no problem. the only real downside to this amp is its opposite inputs. if I tap the LOD (hard enough), I do hear a ping sound, so carrying it needs some ingenuity to com e up with a good solution. so I would count that as its only downside. otherwise, the size is pretty good, matching ipod, iphone etc. thickness is also good. build is very good as well, and though doesnt look very flashy compared some other amps out there I actually like its spartan, industrial look. 

 

[sperandeo]

I've tried the output from my imac through an Edirol Audio Capture UA-25 24/96 external sound card, and my 7th gen ipod classic through the line-out (not headphone). To be totally honest I can't tell the difference. Same lossless files doing an A/B test.
 
I'm not not really interested in the imod because it limits me to the one ipod. If i have a "solo" type device, I can have as many $200.00 ipods as I wish. 1 for jazz, 1 for rock etc. If I go with an imod i need 600.00 for each of them.
 

 

[LevA]

I havent really done a serious A/B test, though when I first got the 5.5 did a quick listen using same songs. I know headphone out the 6th gen had slight treble emphasis, so highs sounded slightly brighter, especially brass sound. 
through line out again I felt slight emphasis on the treble making it sound slightly clearer. as for separation and soundstage, I might do another serious listen to see if it was just placebo due to the treble emphasis. 
 
EDIT**
I just gave Dianna Krall "Temptation" a listen on both the 5.5gen and 6th gen through LOD to TTVJ. again, in the intro the symbols slighlty brighter, as is her voice on the 6th compared to 5.5gen, where  5.5 gen to me has more of a warmer sound with emphasis on lows..separation and soundstage felt the same though. so I guess there isn't a lot of difference, though I do prefer the 5.5gen more...

 

[jelt2359]

My HM801 is a great source for its size.
 
As for Desktop Amps... I just got a Virtue Sensation with a Dodd Tube Buffer to drive my new HE-6s and future speaker setup. I figured, I love the Hybrid sound so much, why mess with a good thing?