*UPDATE* REVIEW: 21 "Mainstream" portable amps. GoVibe MAGNUM added.
Sep 16, 2007 at 2:57 PM Post #76 of 162
Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif
...The iBasso D1 being available now, I wonder if it has the same amount of punch...but I doubt it, cause there would have to be ALOT of it to beat it...


Nate, you need to listen to the D1 after the chips have been swapped! Either the LT6241HV/8397(2) or the OPA2111/LM4562(2) beat the bass on the Move. Heck the OPA2111/LM4562(2) is in the same class as the LaRocco PRII MkII
basshead.gif
With some music even better.
icon10.gif
 
Sep 17, 2007 at 8:23 PM Post #77 of 162
Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The V6 is a VERY good amp. But it felt more like a volume attenuator (an amp in true sense I guess) rather than adding anything to the music. Some people prefer that, but I personally prefer the amp to add alot of punch....but that's just my preference. The GV6 is very neutral...


I have to dig this back up because that's a profound statement above. I was trying to think of a way to describe the PenguinAmps "Royal" with 8397 opamp, nichicon caps and dual rail splitters. The PenguinAmp "Royal" does BOTH - it is a neutral volume attenuator in all areas except with some added balls in the bass.

I have about 200 of the 400 hours the caps need to burn in, and the bass is filling in nicely since after about 150 hours. As an added plus, these drive my SE500's and HD600's equally well !! It is actually getting more use than my 750 hour Tomahawk while I am burning it in and waiting for the PenguinAmp "Caffeine" to arrive for testing.
 
Sep 18, 2007 at 3:04 AM Post #78 of 162
Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Nate, you need to listen to the D1 after the chips have been swapped! Either the LT6241HV/8397(2) or the OPA2111/LM4562(2) beat the bass on the Move. Heck the OPA2111/LM4562(2) is in the same class as the LaRocco PRII MkII
basshead.gif
With some music even better.
icon10.gif



Seriously? That is DAMN intresting.....more than a PRII??? That's almost blasphemous....omg....I definitly need to hear it to believe it. That's too hard to believe...
 
Sep 19, 2007 at 2:29 AM Post #79 of 162
Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Seriously? That is DAMN intresting.....more than a PRII??? That's almost blasphemous....omg....I definitly need to hear it to believe it. That's too hard to believe...


Very hard to believe, I agree. Send a PM to HiFlight to get his input as well.
 
Oct 28, 2007 at 2:13 PM Post #80 of 162
There's about to be a HUGE additition to this review. Amps to be added will be a MiniBox E (as well as possibly a D1 with opAmps rolled), Portaphile V2^2, A Graham Slee Voyager Beta, and Non-M Hornet.

Also, the source(s) will be a bit better than an iMod. I will use the iMod as reference since it's what I used for all the other amps, but I will also add my impressions from lossless and 192 AAC through iTunes playing through a Silverston EB01 AND Keces DAC's (both models) as well asplaying CDs on a Meridian CDP. Should be a healthy addition.....stay tuned.
 
Oct 30, 2007 at 8:43 PM Post #81 of 162
Quote:

Originally Posted by Romanee /img/forum/go_quote.gif
It's been my experience -- and some local NYC members have had similar experiences, but I'll just speak for myself -- that my Hornet sounded gritty with somewhat sawtoothed edges around notes, loss of top end extension (mine had very nice top extension and sparkle out of the box and lost it during "burn in"), a long period of anemic bass and then some suddenly huge but bloated bass, less than solid imaging and placement of instruments, and a few other disquieting insufficiencies during "burn in" of its 16,000uf cap until 350-400 hours. Mine "opened up" dramatic around 350 hours and continued getting clean, clearer, more extended top and bottom, and more defined from bottom to top through about 400 hours where the sound stabilized.

I was really anxious about a variety of problems until past 350 hours when they dramatically began to clear up. I've said this elsewhere, but when played with a great transport and DAC with great recordings, my Hornet sounds staggering better than via a PDP or modest DAC, and can present a clean, clear window into the music with a huge dimensional sound space and rock-solid imaging. I don't hear anything that dramatic with my iPod or Mac G5 tower and Spitfire DAC, but it sounds much better than the notes in the review would indicate.

There's no guarantee that you'll hear what I did, but my personal experience was that my Hornet had a variety of issues similar to those noted in the review, and the amp's sound quality changed and improved significantly after the extended play period I've noted.

A few other amps seem to need similarly long break in period, more notably those with large Black Gate caps which are well known to require lengthy play time to optimize and stabilize, and Black Gates also have troublesome and often erratic "burn in curves". My Hornet's "burn in" wasn't so much erratic as it was troublesome, and the general congestion and "feathered edges" had me quiet anxious for a while.

If you ever have the opportunity and inclination to hear a "well-cured" Hornet, I'd love to know if it sounds to you any cleaner, sweeter, more open and focused, etc. -- or not.


Awesome review Nate and one of the best out here for those less informed because you put way more into it with other personal preferences besides SQ which I'm also interested in
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I jumped in and quoted Romanee's thread because I listened to my Toma after the first charge for about 3 hours with multiple genre's and wanted to give some of my insight on break in time.

At that point I hooked it up to my 30GB via mini/mini vs. the LOD so that I could just let it run in shuffle for three days straight while on the charger. I wanted to make sure I had the Toma really broken in well before my next listening session so I repeated the three day drill 5 more times in a row over the following 2 weeks and after roughly 432 + hours my Toma was was so much tighter and focused I would have never believed one of these little amps required that kind of time but I know better now.

I bring this up as I think all amps should have a minimum of 300 hours burn in to be fair in any comparison.
 
Nov 1, 2007 at 4:55 PM Post #82 of 162
Woot, finishing the burn-in of a 200hr Hornet (non-M). I can IMMEDIATELY spot the difference between the M and non-M. That said, it's not completely burned in (450 hours, IMO)...awaiting the other amps to get this review back updated!!!!
 
Nov 5, 2007 at 12:55 AM Post #84 of 162
It's workin out. It's a little on the boomy side initially, but it's calmed down a bit and is starting to settle and blossom. I've had it plugged in to my PM looping iTunes songs getting it nicely burned-in. I figure I'll post the review at the 600-800hr mark. Only a couple days to go, lol.

I'm waiting on some other amps to come on in anyways, so we'll see how they compare.
 
Nov 5, 2007 at 5:05 AM Post #85 of 162
It is refreshing to see another good portables review, especially where the products reviewed are common across other "bulk" portables reviews. To stick or not sticky all 3 of these reviews is a good question. Going on recent events I believe that the 3 reviews are unlikely to be stickied.

As these reviews, like it or lump it, influence a large number of buying decisions, I have the following suggestion.

I believe it would be good if each of the reviewers inserted the URL's for the other 2 reviews on the first page of their respective reviews. This would be accompanied by a note to the effect, or something like it, "These other reviews maybe of assistance or of interest to Head-Fi'ers looking for portables information." At least then people may get a different perspective on the some of the same products.

cheers
Simon
 
Nov 6, 2007 at 6:58 PM Post #86 of 162
That's a good idea...I'll follow suit after another review does it though :p

Still awaiting on some amps and DAC to arrive, but I'll tell you, this Hornet non-M is a little bit of a surprise. Not a complete shocker considering the M Hornet, but....
 
Nov 7, 2007 at 6:09 AM Post #88 of 162
Right now, I don't OWN any card on my notebook, but I'm borrowing an Indigo DJ (my buddies laptop crapped out on him). But mostly, I listen out of the Nano...

As for the quality of the card, it's BY FAR the best DAC solution for the laptop. It has the CLEANEST and most NEUTRAL line out I've ever heard. It does absolutely nothing to the music, if anything, it makes it sound a little dry because of that. It sure as hell reveals how good/crappy your recordings are though. I regret selling mine actually.
 
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