[wlai]

This is an awesome, excellent review, thanks. It has all the amps that I'm interested in, but I'd like to see the new entrant headphonia mixed in as well. It is unique than the other amps since it has DAC built in, but even reviewing just the amp portion would be great.

 

[vorlon1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LBC /img/forum/go_quote.gif Vorlon1: Since you've owned the original Hornet and the modified one, what are your views on how they match with the triple-fi's? I have an original Hornet and UE-10s, and I really love vocals with that combo. On the other hand, I've always been tempted to get the amp modded. I also have a Tomahawk burning-in (250 hrs. now), and it also sounds good with the UEs. What are your (or anyone else out there) thoughts? Thanks, Larry

Larry,
I can't give an accurate opinion about how the original Hornet sounds with the Triple-Fi's, because I don't have the original Hornet anymore, and my Triple-Fi's just arrived this week. The M Hornet used in our review belongs to mrarroyo, but I have listened to it extensively and much prefer it to the original, due to it's larger soundstage and slightly mellower presentation. I found the original Hornet a bit harsh and piercing on the highs with some music. I do have an SR - 71 and a Tomahawk, and the Triple-Fi's sound unbelievable good with the SR-71, detailed, impactful, sweet highs, background detail that is clear and present in a special way. For example on good jazz vocal recordings you can hear the high hats without any "sizzle" or blurring, it's so good you can almost see the sticks hitting them in your mind's eye. With the Tomahawk, it sounds good too, but not quite at the level of the SR-71, there seems to be some special symmetry going on there, to my ears at least.

*Note - Today I tried the Tomahawk on high gain with the Triple-Fi's and I thought it improved the sound and brought it very close to the quality of the SR-71 with the Triple-Fi's. On the high gain setting the volume control knobs of these two amps get the same loudness at approximately the same setting. On low gain the Triple- Fi's have to be turned way up as they are not as sensitive as either the E 500s or UM2s, which don't even reach 12 o'Clock on the Tomahawk at low gain setting and get quite loud.

 

[vorlon1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wlai /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is an awesome, excellent review, thanks. It has all the amps that I'm interested in, but I'd like to see the new entrant headphonia mixed in as well. It is unique than the other amps since it has DAC built in, but even reviewing just the amp portion would be great.

I've listened to mrarroyo's Headphonia, but it wasn't burned in much yet. It sounded pretty good, had a nice soundstage, put you fairly close to the music, but I thought it was a little heavy on the treble so I didn't think I would like it over time as I like a bit warmer sound like the RSA amps tend to have. However, mrarroyo tells me that with burn in the bass may have come out some, so perhaps he will post something more up to date. I was listening to it with Westone UM2s, so with different headphones there could certainly be differences in synergy.

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorlon1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... found the original Hornet a bit harsh and piercing on the highs with some music....

It just occurred to me that from your description you may not have had the "original" Hornet, but rather the newer stock/un-modded Hornet. The "original" Hornet (roughly 100+ units) had the Nichicon cap and rather than piercing highs, it had sweet/very soft, somewhat rolled-off, less defined/detailed highs. It had huge/round bass that did color the mids, warm/lush "old-style analog/tube-y" character, very close up and intimate presentation, resulting narrow soundstage with much less depth, dimension, air and separation than the "M". Even the later stock (Panasonic cap) Hornet had more HF extension, albeit edgy and grainy, tighter bass, more soundstage width and definitely not up the performance of the "M" and "M"-mod Hornets.

 

[vorlon1]

You may very well be right about that. I bought it last spring from another Head-Fier, so I can't say for sure what was in there, but it sounded like the second type you described. I would have liked to have heard one of the "tube-like" ones, as I always read descriptions and was wondering how come mine sounded so vastly different.

 

[fzaba]

Quote:

Vorlon 1: Today I sent the super-mini in for the latest updates. It sounds very much like the micro, but not as open or tubelike, and doesn’t have the sparkle the micro has recently shown. This may be because it is not burned in yet and hasn’t been used as much as the micro. When it comes back from Dr. Xin I will give it more time to open up. Right now the micro is superior in sound.

Vorlon1, just wondering if your SuperMini IV ever came back. I would love to hear your impressions of it after the upgrades VS the SuperMicro. I have a SuperMini on order and should come in soon (I hope), but may need to order the Micro as well to decide which to keep...

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fzaba /img/forum/go_quote.gif Vorlon1, just wondering if your SuperMini IV ever came back. I would love to hear your impressions of it after the upgrades VS the SuperMicro. I have a SuperMini on order and should come in soon (I hope), but may need to order the Micro as well to decide which to keep...

why not keep both. that way you can send in one for updates and still have an amp on hand for the months your unit is vacationing at spa xin!

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorlon1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You may very well be right about that. I bought it last spring from another Head-Fier, so I can't say for sure what was in there, but it sounded like the second type you described. I would have liked to have heard one of the "tube-like" ones, as I always read descriptions and was wondering how come mine sounded so vastly different.

There are some "original" owners who do like that sound very much. The trick is to find out who and where, and then cajole them into bringing the amp to an area meet where you can hear it -- preferably a mini meet in calm, comfy, quiet surroundings (alliterative, ain't I?).

 

[vorlon1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fzaba /img/forum/go_quote.gif Vorlon1, just wondering if your SuperMini IV ever came back. I would love to hear your impressions of it after the upgrades VS the SuperMicro. I have a SuperMini on order and should come in soon (I hope), but may need to order the Micro as well to decide which to keep...

Yes it came back and it sounds pretty much as it did before. It's a good amp, but a little darker and less air and sparkle than the micro, so I still prefer the micro.

 

[fzaba]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveDerek /img/forum/go_quote.gif why not keep both. that way you can send in one for updates and still have an amp on hand for the months your unit is vacationing at spa xin!

This would be my first Xin amp and I only ordered the SuperMini IV for now. I was wondering if it would even be worth my time to try the Micro, or possibly change my order.


And vorlon1, thanks for your impressions. I asked you directly since I've read that you've used the Shure E500s (among others) for testing. Sounds like it may indeed be worth my time and $. I'll probably end up getting both and decide for myself then sell the one I don't need on the forums here. Everyone wins!

 

[vorlon1]

That's a good idea, you never know which you may end up preferring without hearing them first.

 

[SEABREEZE]

]

Being a south floridian and a new bee to head fi, i really appreciate the comprhensive review you guys did on portables, it really narrowed my own research on the matter. i do have a couple of questions.

a) could you also post the phones you felt best mached your top three picks. from a synergy standpoint.

b) also one of you posted that just recently they made some changes to the macro mini and micro. the question i have is, does that throw a monkey wrench into the mix , because now the most recent production of the supermicro iv may have changed sonically... from the one you reveiwed.

c) recently i had the pleasure of hearing the he90 and the arterius , i think thats how it may be spelled, any way i found that combination to be true high end audio, coming from a headphone rig. can you narrow down the search and recommend a few home rigs both headphones and amps that would give me apprx 95 % of the sound i was hearing from the above mentioned,at a more cost effective price point.
perhaps a review of home rigs is forth coming like you did on the portables.

 

[mrarroyo]

Well, I kind of mentioned to Vorlon1 we should do an update on the portable amps. This because we both have acquired additional ones which would add a broader perspective to the mix.

For example I have acquired:

1. RSA the Tomahawk
2. Headphonia
3. Supermacro LE (with lots of various OP amps to mix and match

)
4. Portaphile V2^2
5. Go-Vibe 5 with 8620/8610

Vorlon1 has also acquired 1 and 4 as well as others. Vorlon would you please post the additional portable amps you have acquired (it will be a very long list, he has been very busy

).

 

[Snacks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SEABREEZE /img/forum/go_quote.gif ]c) recently i had the pleasure of hearing the he90 and the arterius , i think thats how it may be spelled, any way i found that combination to be true high end audio, coming from a headphone rig. can you narrow down the search and recommend a few home rigs both headphones and amps that would give me apprx 95 % of the sound i was hearing from the above mentioned,at a more cost effective price point.

Wow, that's tough, I mean, there were only 12 Aristatus' made...for kicks I'd like to see some recommendations as well...

Seabreeze - Are you looking for tubes or solid state or both?

 

[SEABREEZE]

Seabreeze - Are you looking for tubes or solid state or both?

HI SNACKS,

I presently have a solid state amp for my speaker system , which is very tube like. so that would be my first prefrence, however i am open to tube , so long as i dont have to hunt down nos tubes to make the amp preform at its optimum. tubes that are readily available which allows the amp to sing, would be my prefernce when it comes to tube amps.