[Discover]

Larry, great reviews!

As you just mention headphones suiting specific amps - what do you think would suit a ATH-M50 better? iBasso D3, Corda 2/3Move or Nuforce Icon Mobile?

What do you think about the Crossfeed of the Corda Move? Anything better than the D3 or so?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Discover /img/forum/go_quote.gif Larry, great reviews! As you just mention headphones suiting specific amps - what do you think would suit a ATH-M50 better? iBasso D3, Corda 2/3Move or Nuforce Icon Mobile? What do you think about the Crossfeed of the Corda Move? Anything better than the D3 or so?

1. Never heard the AYH-M50, so can't help.
2. The crossfeed is mild/subtle but I usually don't use them often except when I want to change things up a little.
3. D3 doesn't have crossfeed.

 

[Brighten]

HeadphoneAddict-

I know this is a tad off topic, but reading back into the threads a little bit and seeing that you have heard the Millet Hybrid Portable Amp, how would you say it's performance ranks with the Pico using your RS-1?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brighten /img/forum/go_quote.gif HeadphoneAddict- I know this is a tad off topic, but reading back into the threads a little bit and seeing that you have heard the Millet Hybrid Portable Amp, how would you say it's performance ranks with the Pico using your RS-1?

The TTVJ Millett Portable is not as detailed as the Pico, but the synergy with Grado is magical. See http://www.head-fi.org/forums/4024605-post69.html

Also http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/hea...hybrid-328479/

 

[davidw89]

Hi there. Can i ask how many hours of burn in your iBasso D3 has? I just ordered one, should come in a few weeks or so, would love to start the burn in process, since i had a DAC can i just run i straight from the computer + headphones and leave it running. Also does this run on 5xAAA battery? Are these provided? If not will the Sanyo Enloope be fine?

 

[slwiser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif The TTVJ Millett Portable is not as detailed as the Pico, but the synergy with Grado is magical. See http://www.head-fi.org/forums/4024605-post69.html Also http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/hea...hybrid-328479/

A little off topic again but how does this TTVJ sound with your ATH-ESW10JPN?

This morning and last night I have been comparing the sound of my ESW9 and ESW10JPN and the Mobile makes my ESW9 sound closer to my ESW10JPN than any of my amps. I guess the synergy here is with the ESW9 and Mobile. The ESW10JPN scales much better with better amps such as my Yamamoto HA02.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidw89 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi there. Can i ask how many hours of burn in your iBasso D3 has? I just ordered one, should come in a few weeks or so, would love to start the burn in process, since i had a DAC can i just run i straight from the computer + headphones and leave it running. Also does this run on 5xAAA battery? Are these provided? If not will the Sanyo Enloope be fine?

I really wish people would read the review for those answers before asking - I get PM all the time as well, and it's right there in the second paragraph of the D3 section:

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict I used 5xAAA Energizer batteries in the D3 and I got 123 hours out of the batteries before they became too weak to play loud without distortion today. The next set last 113 hours. The third set was Rayovac Hybrid NiMH long lasting re-chargeables which went over 96 hours on a charge (it was still running strong at 96 hours at 2am even though the LED had become dim, and it was dead at 10am when I got up). During burn-in I used my Denon D2000 with a pillow between the ear cups and listened intermittently each day, without a lot of changes during that time. I just finished charging the batteries, and with 332 hours on the D3 I am starting my review (10/29/08).

Based on the above, don't why eneloop wouldn't work, since the Rayovac are just like them.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser /img/forum/go_quote.gif A little off topic again but how does this TTVJ sound with your ATH-ESW10JPN? This morning and last night I have been comparing the sound of my ESW9 and ESW10JPN and the Mobile makes my ESW9 sound closer to my ESW10JPN than any of my amps. I guess the synergy here is with the ESW9 and Mobile. The ESW10JPN scales much better with better amps such as my Yamamoto HA02.

I don't understand the question. You are using "Mobile" capitalized and I don't know what the Mobile is?

As for the TTVJ Portable Millett Hybrid question, I have not tried them together yet. I'll have to do that later. In my Millett review I noted the TTVJ was very much like a desktop amp.

EDIT - I figured it out - "Mobile" is the Nuforce Icon. The TTVJ is a forward amp like the Mobile, with good treble, so it might make the ESW9 sound more similar to the ESW10 as well, all I know is that the Mobile sounds good with ESW10. I'll report back later on TTVJ.

 

[oogabooga]

HeadphoneAddict,

Care to give us any weekend teasers your upcoming, much anticipated XM5 review? I'm looking at opamp upgrades (I've got the stock OPA134s) and I'm really curious how that AD8397 sounds cf. the OPA134s.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oogabooga /img/forum/go_quote.gif HeadphoneAddict, Care to give us any weekend teasers your upcoming, much anticipated XM5 review? I'm looking at opamp upgrades (I've got the stock OPA134s) and I'm really curious how that AD8397 sounds cf. the OPA134s.

I posted one teaser last week, but with all the crazyness trying to get 3 kids ready to fly on vacation Tuesday before Xmas I will be lucky to get the review with stock opamps before we go.

 

[slwiser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't understand the question. You are using "Mobile" capitalized and I don't know what the Mobile is? As for the TTVJ Portable Millett Hybrid question, I have not tried them together yet. I'll have to do that later. In my Millett review I noted the TTVJ was very much like a desktop amp. EDIT - I figured it out - "Mobile" is the Nuforce Icon. The TTVJ is a forward amp like the Mobile, with good treble, so it might make the ESW9 sound more similar to the ESW10 as well, all I know is that the Mobile sounds good with ESW10. I'll report back later on TTVJ.

Yes, you have it that it is the Nuforce Icon Mobile that I was talking about. I compared the the two ESW** headphones last night and this morning and they are much nearer each other than with any other amps that I have tried them with using the Icon Mobile. So, to me, your speculation is correct. I would like the TTVJ and Mobile compared if possible using the ESW10JPN. I have a TTVJ Millet portable coming as a loaner sometime over the next week or so from Todd.

 

[Discover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif 3. D3 doesn't have crossfeed.

That's why I asked

I am interested in the difference, if there is any, between the Move and iBasso D3 due to the (missing) crossfeed.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Discover /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's why I asked I am interested in the difference, if there is any, between the Move and iBasso D3 due to the (missing) crossfeed.

The D3 is a more open and spacious sounding amp like the Pico, while the 2MOVE is even more forward to my ears than the Predator.

So to my ears the 2MOVE doesn't benefit from the crossfeed as much as other amps that present a wider more sizable soundstage (like Micro Amp or XM5). Crossfeed always seems to make the stage narrower to me, although the Meier crossfeed is fairly subtle. So there is the paradox, the amp that needs it the least is the amp that has it.

I'm finding the adjustable crossfeed on the XM5 to be more to my liking because it can be adjusted from almost stereo to almost mono. But, I need to check and verify if the XM5 version is a time-delayed channel-mix where the left signal takes longer to bleed over to the right ear, and visa versa.

Nevertheless, to me the D3 and other amps are fine without crossfeed, including not having to use it with the XM5 or Micro Amp.

 

[oogabooga]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm finding the adjustable crossfeed on the XM5 to be more to my liking because it can be adjusted from almost stereo to almost mono. But, I need to check and verify if the XM5 version is a time-delayed channel-mix where the left signal takes longer to bleed over to the right ear, and visa versa.

I asked James at PD if the crossfeed introduces a delay or phase-change in the music that is being "crossfed" into the other ear, or is it a mono/stereo mix?

His answer:
Quote:

There is no phase change or delay in the crossfeed.

I've compared the crossfeed on the XM5 to that via Canz3D (software implementation, which does the time-delay) and found that the Canz3D sounded a bit more like loudspeakers in that it moved the soundstage in front of me. However, I did notice a slight change in the music as well - it just sounded different. I can't really quantify it, except to say that the mids and trebles sounded a touch muddy. Sorry, but I've never heard a Meier or Headroom crossfeed, so I can't comment on those.

IMHO XM5's implementation doesn't change the character of the sound in any way, which I think is a big plus. I've found that I've left the XM5's crossfeed on over the past few days, and it's made for a more pleasing listening experience (my IEMs spend about 8 hours in my ears each day, and this Xfeed alleviates the harshness of having a techno beat come out of only one ear!)

Now I'll apologize if I use the wrong terminology, but to sum it up, I think that Canz3D sounds more like loudspeakers in front of me, in that it moves the soundstage forward, while the XM5 xfeed simply collapses/narrows the soundstage a bit, while retaining the "in the head" soundstage typical of headphones.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, you have it that it is the Nuforce Icon Mobile that I was talking about. I compared the the two ESW** headphones last night and this morning and they are much nearer each other than with any other amps that I have tried them with using the Icon Mobile. So, to me, your speculation is correct. I would like the TTVJ and Mobile compared if possible using the ESW10JPN. I have a TTVJ Millet portable coming as a loaner sometime over the next week or so from Todd.

I had to unpack one of my travel bags to do this (going on vacation), but I have tried ESW10JPN with the TTVJ portable Millett hybrid as you requested, using the Headstage USB DAC cable on my Macbook and switching back and forth between the TTVJ and Nuforce.

In a sense the TTVJ is similar to the Nuforce in it's forwardness and presentation - but the TTVJ adds to it with a wider soundstage, more powerful bass and presence, and a warmer richer sound overall. Although there is no lack of treble or darkness, the DAC cable/TTVJ combo is also slightly less detailed than the Nuforce, while with the iMod as the source their level of detail is closer. I still prefer the Millett combo a good bit more, but it's a $450 amp + $40 DAC vs a $99 DAC amp combo, so it's more of an apples vs oranges kinda thing.

As I've said before, the TTVJ sounds more like a nice desktop tube hybrid amp than a portable. I mostly use TTVJ with my 5.5G iMod and piccolino LOD by stevenkelby (or ALO Vcap dock) if I am traveling with full-size headphones for a couple of days. It is also often used in my bedside rig in place of the Headfive, Travagans Red or Micro Amp. For this upcoming Xmas vacation to Maui I was planning on bringing the Predator and XM5, with Westone 3 and ESW10. Comparing to the TTVJ tonight, the XM5 and Predator are both similar to the refinement, warmth and richness of the TTVJ, but with smaller size, longer battery life and a built-in DAC - so better suited to traveling for several days.

With the ESW10, the XM5 is almost a SS version of the TTVJ Millett's sound and power, but I can tell there is a slight difference in tonality. For those that want a more romantic euphonic or lush sound with ESW10 or Grados the TTVJ is excellent, but obviously there are SS amps that can come close, while doing it with more detail and battery life. Incidentally, I am only using the XM5 or TTVJ at 10-11 o'clock on the volume knob (XM5 low gain, Predator is packed up again).