[JLai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lemme borrow yours I had one in the past, but I can't make a comparo based on memory

I'd be down for a Jax meet sometime...Been so damn busy with school and work recently (why I haven't been on much lately).

 

[manhattanproj]

just exactly how ugly and big is the corda? i can't see it too clearly in the pics. and meier site doesnt show anything. i'm interested in getting one but i'm also one that wants aesthetics to go with sq along with value.

 

[oicdn]

The Corda is about as long as the TTVJ Millet(maybe SLIGHTLY longer), but a little narrower, but it is thicker(as seen in the pics). It's really awkward cause its shape kinda tapers too. It's just a funky thing all together.

The new Corda is supposed to have a fancy metal case, so it'll be a whole different beast as far as that goes. It's still ugly IMO though, lol.

But who am I to talk about aesthetics, my favorite amp of the bunch came in a plastic case without any labeling....but it also wasn't $160....

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Corda is about as long as the TTVJ Millet(maybe SLIGHTLY longer), but a little narrower, but it is thicker(as seen in the pics). It's really awkward cause its shape kinda tapers too. It's just a funky thing all together. The new Corda is supposed to have a fancy metal case, so it'll be a whole different beast as far as that goes. It's still ugly IMO though, lol. But who am I to talk about aesthetics, my favorite amp of the bunch came in a plastic case without any labeling....but it also wasn't $160....

Admit it, you want a LaRocco but you just do not want to pay the $565 plus anoght $35 for a PSU. Oh and you need bigger pockets to carry the amp.

 

[oicdn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Admit it, you want a LaRocco but you just do not want to pay the $565 plus anoght $35 for a PSU. Oh and you need bigger pockets to carry the amp.

Oh...I without a doubt want a LaRocco....but I sure as hell ain't paying that much for it. I think the most I would EVER pay for one, given the SQ of this XP amp, would be $300-350....but I don't think anybody would let go of thiers for that much....and even that amount is a stretch as in my eyes isn't worth the difference in price...but it's so purty and sounds just as purty...just not $500 purty.

 

[dr.morton]

It is always difficult to judge some audio investments from a pure cost/improvement point of view.
My UE 10 pro do not sound four times better then the UE super-fi 5 pro I had owned beforehand. But I never regretted getting them because I always had some issues with generic In Ears.
I find the LaRocco a mixed beast. Although it sounds so nice I did not find it "portable" and sold it. I kept my much cheaper Pengamp because the sonic differences were not huge and the Pengamp is so much easier to carry around.
BUT the LaRocco is still in my mind and constantly reminds me that my portable rig is not complete.

 

[oicdn]

The LaRocco may not sound 10x better than the XP, but I'm also not looking at it like that...I'm looking at it as "would I regret dropping $500 on that amp?" Yeah it would sound rediculous, but would I miss that $500? Damn right I would. I love that amp, but I don't feel it's worth the $500, even with it's pretty case and solid build. The sound is SOOOO amazing, but you're borderline crazy to buy that beast at full MSRP...atleast I think so, given the sonic qualities of this and other amps. If other amps were closer to $500, sure, the view might change, but given that most everything is less than half it's cost, it doesn't make it a worthwhile choice IMO.

That said, I still want one.

 

[velogreg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skylab /img/forum/go_quote.gif GREAT review! I enjoyed reading it. There are SO many portable amps available, and so many people asking about them, the more reviews like this we have, the better. I sure wish the MODS would take this, the Mrarroyo/vorlon one, and mine, and sticky them somewhere, since the number of questions about portable amps seems to still be on the rise. A central repository for these multi-amp comparisons seems really needed to me. Again, Nate, nice job.

I totally agree Skylab, if we had the four reviews as stickies I would guess probably 20 percent of the newbie amp questions would be taken care of. Nice job Oicdn, I like the fact how you covered both sq and "value" items. I also like the fact that you reinforced my decision to buy and keep the PRII.

 

[gonzalo]

great review, waiting for a PRII, long wait i suposse...

 

[keyid]

hopefully my xp amp will arrive tomarrow. Anyone know if you can change out the opamp for LM6172? I know you can send it back to misterx for it but wondering if you can diy.

 

[manhattanproj]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif The new Corda is supposed to have a fancy metal case, so it'll be a whole different beast as far as that goes. It's still ugly IMO though, lol.

really, the corda is going to get a new case?

 

[oicdn]

^ yup, see this:

Meh...

 

[dragonma]

Great review oicdn! I was deciding between a Porta Corda and Xin Supermicro. Both are were so ugly but now with the new xin ref and now the new metal case for the Meier PC. I guess its not going to be much of an issue anymore.

 

[oicdn]

Added Hornet and Corda Move to review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[euclid]

thanks for a great read, really easy to understand the diferences you were hearing.