[Strayngs]

Greetings!

Please give me your opinions what would synergize best with the LCD-4 -> Milo or Dragon lvl 2 ? Main music tastes are primarily classic rock, but also big band era, as well as bit harder stuff on occasion (Black Sabbath, Nazareth etc.)

Thanks for your input

Cant speak about the LCD-4 with these amps but I had both. They really are not on the same playing field. The Dragon beats the Milo in every way imo. I can only imagine the results I experienced with the 2 amps would be consistent with the LCD-4 which I also had at one time.

 

[Lokust]

Am purchasing a Milo and Gruve lvl 2 from Jeff. Will definitely post my findings soon. Think it's going to be a glorious pairing.

 

[Thunder240]

Last month I had the opportunity to live with the Gruve in my home for about a week while a unit was on tour. I therefore thought I’d share my listening impressions of it, in case others find them helpful.

I set up a level matched rig using same source, dual output into 2 DACs, each going into separate inputs on the same headphone amp, so that I could toggle between them instantly. I used this rigto compare it against the two other DACs which I own, a NuForce Icon HDP (msrp $449, released in 2010), and a Hegel HD12 (msrp $1400, released in 2014).

The Gruve is totally capable of producing holographic sound on tracks where the spatial information is there (eg live recordings). It gave me more sense of depth than either the Hegel or the NuForce, especially between lead vocals and whatever instruments are centered. With the Gruve, I heard the vocals floating in front of the instruments, while on the others it is flatter, with the lead vocal superimposed on top of the centered instruments. As compared to the NuForce, the decay of instruments is more realistic, most notably snare and kick drums. It is comparable in this respect to the Hegel. Anyhow, I’d characterize the Gruve as highly detailed but non-fatiguing (the NuForce gives me some listening fatigue after a while).

I used two headphone amps with the Gruve along with the built-in headphone output, a Nuprime HPA-9 and a Linear Tune Audio Microzotle 2.0, and two sets of headphones, Quad ERA-1 and ZMF Auteur. I liked it most paired with the LTA MZ2 tube amp, which gives it some wetness, and with the Auteur for rock and jazz horns. For orchestral I preferred the it with the Quads. Matched with the NuPrime HPA-9 and the Quads, on several tracks I found the detail to be overwhelming. Both amps add some muscularity and immediacy over the built-in headphone amp out. I don’t have any other tube amps on hand, but my sense is that it complements tubes nicely.

I used it briefly in a 2 channel stereo as well, with the LTA MZ2 used as a preamp into an Odyssey Kismet power amp and Philharmonic BMR monitors. My impression is pretty much identical to my headphone impression — excellent spatial representation, floating vocals, good space around the instruments, but not at all fatiguing.

All in all, my impression is that the Gruve is in character to the Hegel DAC but executes it better.

 

[Lokust]

Last month I had the opportunity to live with the Gruve in my home for about a week while a unit was on tour. I therefore thought I’d share my listening impressions of it, in case others find them helpful.

I set up a level matched rig using same source, dual output into 2 DACs, each going into separate inputs on the same headphone amp, so that I could toggle between them instantly. I used this rigto compare it against the two other DACs which I own, a NuForce Icon HDP (msrp $449, released in 2010), and a Hegel HD12 (msrp $1400, released in 2014).

The Gruve is totally capable of producing holographic sound on tracks where the spatial information is there (eg live recordings). It gave me more sense of depth than either the Hegel or the NuForce, especially between lead vocals and whatever instruments are centered. With the Gruve, I heard the vocals floating in front of the instruments, while on the others it is flatter, with the lead vocal superimposed on top of the centered instruments. As compared to the NuForce, the decay of instruments is more realistic, most notably snare and kick drums. It is comparable in this respect to the Hegel. Anyhow, I’d characterize the Gruve as highly detailed but non-fatiguing (the NuForce gives me some listening fatigue after a while).

I used two headphone amps with the Gruve along with the built-in headphone output, a Nuprime HPA-9 and a Linear Tune Audio Microzotle 2.0, and two sets of headphones, Quad ERA-1 and ZMF Auteur. I liked it most paired with the LTA MZ2 tube amp, which gives it some wetness, and with the Auteur for rock and jazz horns. For orchestral I preferred the it with the Quads. Matched with the NuPrime HPA-9 and the Quads, on several tracks I found the detail to be overwhelming. Both amps add some muscularity and immediacy over the built-in headphone amp out. I don’t have any other tube amps on hand, but my sense is that it complements tubes nicely.

I used it briefly in a 2 channel stereo as well, with the LTA MZ2 used as a preamp into an Odyssey Kismet power amp and Philharmonic BMR monitors. My impression is pretty much identical to my headphone impression — excellent spatial representation, floating vocals, good space around the instruments, but not at all fatiguing.

All in all, my impression is that the Gruve is in character to the Hegel DAC but executes it better.

Nice, thanks for taking the time to write this "review". Can't wait to reply with my impressions. Give me about 3 weeks, still on vacation

 

[Pharmaboy]

The Milo landed in my system several days ago: a warrantied demo unit with the stock, non-stepped pot & new switchable attenuators in each channel. I installed it in my side system (headphone only) where the DAC is the DAC section of the Audio GD AIO, R2R-11 MK2, which happens to have a transparent & useful volume pot.

I haven't used the switchable attenuators yet because it's so easy to use the DAC's volume pot (with the unit set to preamp mode) to lower the voltage sent to the Milo. At the moment the pot is set to 65%, meaning that the voltage is reduced by ~1/3.

So far I've done ~1/2 hr listening each to my 3 planar headphones: ZMF Caldera; ZMF Ori; and Final D8000 with the Pro's "G" pads. Many Milo owners posted comments here about its excellent sound with planars, and they're right. IMS I got some of the best sound I've yet heard on all 3 planars. The Milo gives an especially good account of planar bass: not just the depth and impact, but also the texture and micro-dynamics of each bass instrument's sound.

At some point I'll put the Milo in the main system to compare it to the V281, which has been my No. 1 SS amp since the day it arrived. That should be an interesting comparison. No matter how it turns out, I'm already impressed by the slightly warm, spacious SS sound of the Milo. True, the gain is too high for comfort: but if you have a good way to lower the gain, as I do, the sonic results are well worth the effort.

 

[Lokust]

Hello to everyone - can finally write an update .. spent some time with Jeff in San Jose and purchased a Milo with all the bells and whistles as well as a Gruve lvl 2 DAC. The Milo is really an impressive amp... with the LCD-4 it's a perfect match. The Milo has MORE than enough power and [surprisingly] an equal amount of "grace" ... commanding control, slightly warm sounding mids, and substantial bass. It's exactly what I was looking for. Am still trying to figure out what sounds better, single-ended output or balanced - using the LCD-4 stock cable for the single-ended and a Forza cable for the balanced output, both sound quite good. Have only been able to test it with my schiit yggdrasil DAC, as I seem to have misplaced my cinch cables. Will update again once I can test the Gruve.

 

[newToAudio100]

Has anyone had a chance to try headtrip 2? Or headtrip 2 level 2? I was originally considering buying the susvara used and the owner recommended headtrip 2 to me as an amp. I decided to buy the susvara new instead and to get the holo bliss kte as my amp. I'm just wondering if anyone has compared the bliss kte, head trip 2, and head trip 2 level 2.

 

[Lokust]

Has anyone had a chance to try headtrip 2? Or headtrip 2 level 2? Originally when I was looking at the susvara I was considering buying it used and the owner recommended headtrip 2 to me as an amp. I decided to buy the susvara new instead and I'm using the holo bliss kte as my amp. I'm just wondering if anyone has compared the bliss kte, head trip 2, and head trip 2 level 2.

I only am familiar with the Milo, unfortunately. Hopefully someone will respond soon

 

[Thunder240]

Hello to everyone - can finally write an update .. spent some time with Jeff in San Jose and purchased a Milo with all the bells and whistles as well as a Gruve lvl 2 DAC. The Milo is really an impressive amp... with the LCD-4 it's a perfect match. The Milo has MORE than enough power and [surprisingly] an equal amount of "grace" ... commanding control, slightly warm sounding mids, and substantial bass. It's exactly what I was looking for. Am still trying to figure out what sounds better, single-ended output or balanced - using the LCD-4 stock cable for the single-ended and a Forza cable for the balanced output, both sound quite good. Have only been able to test it with my schiit yggdrasil DAC, as I seem to have misplaced my cinch cables. Will update again once I can test the Gruve.

Thanks for sharing — my son’s name is Milo, so I’m already partial to it

 

[Strayngs]

Thanks for sharing — my son’s name is Milo, so I’m already partial to it

Nice…naming your son Headtrip might have been awkward.

 

[David222]

Nice…naming your son Headtrip might have been awkward.

Enigma might have worked

 

[Pharmaboy]

Enigma might have worked

That's funny.

The problem is this: ultimately little Enigma will grow and become a disaffected, moody teenager. The father will find himself shaking his head and saying, "I really don't understand you at all, Enigma."

The boy nods and replies, "Exactly as it should be."

 

[jcdreamer]

You guys reminded me of a song by Johnny Cash: A Boy Named Sue.

 

[Pharmaboy]

You guys reminded me of a song by Johnny Cash: A Boy Named Sue.

I remind myself of a song by Junior Brown: "What's Left Just Won't Go Right."

On a more thread-relevant note, tonight I'll compare the Milo to the V281. That should be interesting.

 

[Malcyg]

Has anyone had a chance to try headtrip 2? Or headtrip 2 level 2? I was originally considering buying the susvara used and the owner recommended headtrip 2 to me as an amp. I decided to buy the susvara new instead and to get the holo bliss kte as my amp. I'm just wondering if anyone has compared the bliss kte, head trip 2, and head trip 2 level 2.

I have the H2L2 and it is a very good match with my Susvara. The H2 is fed by a Lampizator Horizon DAC and it’s hard to imagine there could be very much better from a headphone setup for my preferences. I’m not an expert, but I have found over the years that system synergies are vital in order to experience what good headphones are truly capable of and Susvara have been by far the hardest set of phones of the ones that I own to tie down and reveal their true potential. That’s pretty well known around here though.