[slydog64]

What do you guys think I would like better? I have grado sr60's and I have already ordered a pa2v2, but I was just wondering if it would have been a better purchase to get the go vibe 5 since they are similar purchases. Because they are nearly the same price it wouldn't have mattered which one I got. However the go vibe was ranked higher in this review, which makes me believe it is over all better for the price. But, there is such great synergy between grados and pa2v2 that it makes it a hard choice. I guess I just want reassurance that the pa2v2 will make my cans sing.

 

[vorlon1]

The PA2V2 will sound fine with the Grados, but the Go-Vibe will give you more detail and a bigger sound with more power.

 

[mlarn]

Any comparisons between the Go-Vibe and the Headphonia that mrarroyo likes so much?
Thanks.

 

[aluren]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwirugby /img/forum/go_quote.gif For once size doesn't matter! Thanks. Of course, no sooner had I posted I saw picture with the amp hooked up and voila! I appreciate the quick response. I ordered a supermicro yesterday. At least I have my supermacro IV for company!

I wonder how many supermicro's did mrarroyo/vorlon sell for dr. xin because of this thread???

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aluren /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wonder how many supermicro's did mrarroyo/vorlon sell for dr. xin because of this thread???

Do not know, however when the new owners get them and post how great they sound there will be a multiplication effect.

BTW, who is that in your avatar?

 

[mrarroyo]

On a more serious note Vorlon1 and I got together yesterday and did a second comparison of the Hornet "M" and the Tomahawk. This time both of the amps had over 600 hours of burn in. We both felt that the Tomahawk was sounding much closer to the Hornet "M" than when we did the comparison a month or so earlier. The Hornet "M" still has an slight edge in bass impact but IMO it is not significant.

I would like to hear the comments from other Head-Fiers that have both amps to see if our experience is unique or if others are noticing the same. I will further burn in the Tomahawk another 200 hours and see how they compare with both having over 800 hours.

The Tomahawk is one of those amps which has continued to change even after so many hours of burn in or use. In my opinion it has been a very pleasant surprise and I am glad I have kept it this long. Will keep you all posted.

 

[vorlon1]

Frankly, I was, and am amazed at the change in the Tomahawk. I have had it burning in 24/7 for the last month, so it has at least 500 hours on it. When it had 200 + hours I wasn't crazy about the sound. It was ok, but the soundstage wasn't all that great and it sounded a bit constricted. So, I set it aside on long term burn-in. About a week ago I listened to it and I was shocked.....it had tremendous bass and the soundstage had really grown to the point where it is very close to my SR-71 and maybe even a bit wider. The highs seemed slightly grainy last week, but now seem to have smoothed out some. I am leaving it on 24/7 burn-in for awhile longer, but mrarroyo is right, when we listened to both his Tomahawk and mine yesterday they were very close to the Hornet in the bass department, which wasn't the case at all previously, and the width and depth of the soundstage was truly impressive. So, I'd be real interested if other people notice these changes, but I don't think they are happening until over 500 hours, maybe even 600. No other amp I own has changed so dramatically with burn-in.

 

[robk]

Vorlon, I notice you have some ety ER-4P/Ss.

I have these as well, and a Xin Macro III. I find that bass boost to be seesential for my Etys, and as such, was considering a super-mini IV as an even more portable amp than my macro III. After reading this thread, I am now wondering what you think about the ER-4s with the mini with the bass boost off, and with the micro.

thanks for a great threaad,
rob

 

[vorlon1]

The ETY 4 P's sound good with the mini without bass boost, but even better in the micro, which has a little better clarity and openness.

 

[4metta]

OOPS! wrong thread! lol

 

[jpnz]

What interconnect do you guys recommend to get the described SQ for the Supermicro IV? Will the Silver or Black dragon IC cables do?

 

[vorlon1]

Those should be fine. Also, the ALO cotton docks and cables are good as is the cable made by Revelation Audio, which is my current favorite.

 

[aluren]

hey vorlon, how does your tomahawk sound now? is it close to the supermicro?

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vorlon1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Frankly, I was, and am amazed at the change in the Tomahawk. I have had it burning in 24/7 for the last month, so it has at least 500 hours on it. When it had 200 + hours I wasn't crazy about the sound. It was ok, but the soundstage wasn't all that great and it sounded a bit constricted. So, I set it aside on long term burn-in. About a week ago I listened to it and I was shocked.....it had tremendous bass and the soundstage had really grown to the point where it is very close to my SR-71 and maybe even a bit wider. The highs seemed slightly grainy last week, but now seem to have smoothed out some. I am leaving it on 24/7 burn-in for awhile longer, but mrarroyo is right, when we listened to both his Tomahawk and mine yesterday they were very close to the Hornet in the bass department, which wasn't the case at all previously, and the width and depth of the soundstage was truly impressive. So, I'd be real interested if other people notice these changes, but I don't think they are happening until over 500 hours, maybe even 600. No other amp I own has changed so dramatically with burn-in.

I've had similar results with my TH. I actually found the developments in mine to be rather gradual/steady except for one day post-500 hours when it got a bit more bass/better imaging/more space between performers and slightly cleaner HFs — and my M-modded Hornet had much more startling bass development and HF sweetening from 350-400 hours. What surprised me most with the TH was that it kept blossoming from 500-600 hours and a little beyond! It turned out even better than I expected, based on the prototypes I had heard at the NYC meet before last.

My Portaphile LT1210 Maxxed had the most erratic "burn in" curve and very dramatic developments past 350 hours, in terms of definition, HF clarity, and layered imaging that all came together at the end. Impatient buyers who get upset by the weird sounds mid-burn-in probably decide that it's an awful amp and unload it without ever hearing what it's capable after the always-challenging BlackGate caps optimize and stabilize.

My TH does sound very wide and open, just shy of the air and ease of the SR-71, but with a bit more dimension. The SR-71 is, I think, still a bit more extended and refined, and has deeper bass than most people are aware of. Still, the TH is amazing for its size and wonderful to carry around — as I've read the SuperMicro IV is (chuckle!). I hope the S-Micro owners don't forget to bring theirs to HeadFest!!!

 

[vorlon1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aluren /img/forum/go_quote.gif hey vorlon, how does your tomahawk sound now? is it close to the supermicro?

The Tomahawk still sounds much like I described it in the quote that Romanee inserted. However, I still believe the micro sounds better. It's a different kind of sound than the Tomahawk. The micro has a soundstage that is larger than the Tomahawk and the SR-71. It has a very sweet tube-like sound that is very refined and smooth and very open, far better than the Xin mini for example. I go back and forth between the micro and the SR-71 most of the time as both are excellent in their own right, but slightly different in sound signature. I would place the Tomahawk a bit behind them in overall sound quality for my particular taste and way of hearing. The Tomahawk sounds a lot like the Hornet M. I am ranking them merely as to my preference, not saying one is "worse" than another. I think all are excellent amps, and I particulary like RSA quality and his "house" sound, so to speak. It's just that I find the micro extraordinary, whereas I don't think the Xin Mini or he Macro LE I heard are on the same level as either the micro or Ray's portable amps. All IMHO.