[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jammin72 /img/forum/go_quote.gif OK so I am officially blown away. I had assumed that the transition would take many hours of burn in to be effective. Attention Practical Devices.... If you want a giant killer for high impedance cans look to the AD8620 for your solution. First the amount of power available to the headphones with a simple chip change is fairly staggering. When going with the Stock OPA Op Amp there was little difference between the Amp and my headphone output jack on the STR-DA3000ES. Now that the chip is changed I might as well be listening through ear-muffs through the stock receiver output. There is a slight grain to the signal that was not present before but knowing what I know about burn in I'll be willing to bet this issue alleviates itself. The signal is simultaneously more detailed, more open, and more accurate. I thought perhaps I would sacrifice soundstage for accuracy but I'm wrong. Intrinsically I should have known this, accuracy in the high frequencies is the father of soundstage. I'm terribly excited at this point I will keep this amp as a portable solution and begin to look at tubes for the home. mrarroyo... Any experience to lead you to believe that there's another op-amp with a larger soundstage?!? Your call so far as it relates to a Sennheiser HD580 is nothing but dead on. I love everything about the change but I could stand a bit more warmth. If threre's a solution that provides the improvements of the AD8620 with a more tube-like character... I'm all ears.

I do not have my XM3 anymore, but since op-amps are cheap enough give the LM4562 a try.

http://www.national.com/pf/LM/LM4562.html

 

[Jammin72]

Wow instant response.

Thanks, I'll give that a lick. I'll get it on order and let this 8620 burn in for at least 100 hours.

 

[surge]

pardon me, i just ordered my xm4. does it mean that i can make it even better by changing the opamp chip? how can i get these chips and which is the best? any particular brands to look at? thanks

 

[mrarroyo]

surge the AD8620 and the LM4562 would be to alternative. Basically plug and play. You can get free samples from the manufacturers but the 8620 has to be mounted so you may want to buy from a retailer or wholeseller.

 

[ClieOS]

Actually I was checking out browndog's site and found out they have some pre-mounted AD8620 and AD8610 for sale at ~US$16. I am actually thinking of getting one directly from them soon-ish

BTW surge, do you order your XM4 from PD? The other day I was in Jaben and someone asked me about my XM3...

 

[surge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually I was checking out browndog's site and found out they have some pre-mounted AD8620 and AD8610 for sale at ~US$16. I am actually thinking of getting one directly from them soon-ish BTW surge, do you order your XM4 from PD? The other day I was in Jaben and someone asked me about my XM3...

i was browsing at ebay, saw the xm4 and order from PD. i was at jaben and tried the go vibes and AE-2. like the AE-2 but price steep for me.

does any shops in SL sells te AD8620? how to tell if its mounted?

 

[surge]

just ordered my AD8620! both XM4 and AD8620 are arriving next week!!! cant wait!!!

stupid for me to just ordered the AD8620 though...should have ordered the other chips mentioned to 'play' w and test them out.

btw howto rip a sound to its best quality? i am using itunes an they rip at 128bits. dunno how to change the riprate?

can someone teach me? thanks

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by surge /img/forum/go_quote.gif just ordered my AD8620! both XM4 and AD8620 are arriving next week!!! cant wait!!! stupid for me to just ordered the AD8620 though...should have ordered the other chips mentioned to 'play' w and test them out. btw howto rip a sound to its best quality? i am using itunes an they rip at 128bits. dunno how to change the riprate? can someone teach me? thanks

I find that 192 kbs mp3 VBR (highest setting) is a good compromise. You could also try 224 AAC. As far as changing the settings:

Edit => Preferences => Advanced => Importing : Then now you choose if MP3, AAC, etc. You also choose the bitrate.

 

[gonzalo]

anyone nows wich gain it's the xm3? thanks

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gonzalo /img/forum/go_quote.gif anyone nows wich gain it's the xm3? thanks

+23.1 dB (gain jumpers in)
+12.7 dB (gain jumpers out)

So gain of 4 with jumpers out and 8 with jumpers in.

 

[surge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I find that 192 kbs mp3 VBR (highest setting) is a good compromise. You could also try 224 AAC. As far as changing the settings: Edit => Preferences => Advanced => Importing : Then now you choose if MP3, AAC, etc. You also choose the bitrate.

thanks for e info. when i was trying some amps, uncle wilson told me at 128 bitrate, there is nothing much to enhance cos alot is cut off at that rate.

what is a good rate that i can still preserve the details for enhancent? thanks again!

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by surge /img/forum/go_quote.gif what is a good rate that i can still preserve the details for enhancent? thanks again!

In theory, the higher the better. However, the whole idea of 'ripping song' is for the fact that most of us can't hear everything recorded on a CD at a any given time (unless you have golden ear

), so when we rip songs the 'less noticeable' notes will be ignored and we will end up with more space.

If you can't hear the difference b/w 192kbps and 224kbps tracks (might it due to your source, amp, HP or very possibly your ear), what does it matter if you rip it in 224kbps at all? You are not going to hear the difference anyway.

In the end, your ear should be the judge of what bitrates to use. Rip a song with different bitrate (and different codec) and listen to them all, than pick the one that you think give you the best balance b/w SQ and compression.

 

[surge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif In theory, the higher the better. However, the whole idea of 'ripping song' is for the fact that most of us can't hear everything recorded on a CD at a any given time (unless you have golden ear ), so when we rip songs the 'less noticeable' notes will be ignored and we will end up with more space. If you can't hear the difference b/w 192kbps and 224kbps tracks (might it due to your source, amp, HP or very possibly your ear), what does it matter if you rip it in 224kbps at all? You are not going to hear the difference anyway. In the end, your ear should be the judge of what bitrates to use. Rip a song with different bitrate (and different codec) and listen to them all, than pick the one that you think give you the best balance b/w SQ and compression.

that is one good piece of advise! after re ripping the songs at 320kbps....my ipod nano full already....each song is at least double the filesize...

was looking at the new 80gb ipod today... think wait for my amp to arrive...test the difference first..

actually i seriously believe its my ears...my mum say i cant even hear her most of the time...why waste money getting an amp? ahahaha

 

[Hellenback]

Quote:

Originally Posted by surge /img/forum/go_quote.gif just ordered my AD8620! both XM4 and AD8620 are arriving next week!!! cant wait!!! stupid for me to just ordered the AD8620 though...should have ordered the other chips mentioned to 'play' w and test them out. btw howto rip a sound to its best quality? i am using itunes an they rip at 128bits. dunno how to change the riprate? can someone teach me? thanks

Download EAC (Exact Audio Copy ,Freeware) Download Burrrn! (Freeware) Download LAME (Freeware for MP3) if you want most other formats of MP3 Aiff Wav etc. etc. they are included in the EAC ripper and or the Burrrn burning software. I don't know what your experience is with best CDR brands (Taiyo Yuden is made in Japan and invented the CDR ). If you don't want what is caled a "secure " copy then you can stay with Itunes and go to edit-preferences-importing and set your import and burn preferences. Hope this helps you burn the best audio. If not send me a PM and I will walk you through it.

 

[surge]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hellenback /img/forum/go_quote.gif Download EAC (Exact Audio Copy ,Freeware) Download Burrrn! (Freeware) Download LAME (Freeware for MP3) if you want most other formats of MP3 Aiff Wav etc. etc. they are included in the EAC ripper and or the Burrrn burning software. I don't know what your experience is with best CDR brands (Taiyo Yuden is made in Japan and invented the CDR ). If you don't want what is caled a "secure " copy then you can stay with Itunes and go to edit-preferences-importing and set your import and burn preferences. Hope this helps you burn the best audio. If not send me a PM and I will walk you through it.

thanks for extending your help! really appreciate it. i will wait for my amp to arrive...test it w cd direct then test it w ipod mp3 version...if there is a difference ( or i shall say if i can tell the difference) then i wil have to trouble to teach me how to rip the best for into ipod...but think i would need to get the at least 30gb cos my 2gb is full now already...no more new songs for now...