Asr

The RMAF Web site finally has a mention of what's going down: Rocky Mountain Audiofest 2009

Didn't find an existing thread for this amp, so I thought I'd start one. I spent the last week listening to one I had on loan from TTVJ and compared it to the FET-A, also on loan. The following is sort of my "mini-review" of the P200 to share my impressions. Disclaimer: these impressions are based on 6 days of listening, far from ideal. Normally I would've liked to spend at least a week per headphone which is what I've done in the past, so even I might disagree with my own impressions later. My opinions varied a few times during listening in fact and without enough time to confirm what I heard via repeated listening, take these impressions with an extremely small grain of salt. Equipment used: - Source: Plinius CD-101 - RCA interconnects: BPT IC-SL - Headphones: AKG K701, Alessandro MS2i, Audio-Technica AD2000, Grado HF2 and HP1000, Sony SA5000 and Qualia 010 Music used: - Alison Krauss & Robert Plant - Raising Sand - Alison Krauss & Union Station - New Favorite, Lonely Runs Both Ways - Jane Monheit - Surrender - Massive Attack - Mezzanine - Orbital - The Middle of Nowhere - Priscilla Ahn - A Good Day - Shelby Lynne - Just A Little Lovin' - The Crystal Method - Community Service To get right to the point, I thought both the P200 and FET-A are good amps, at least for the price. The P200 crushed the FET-A, enough that I thought it was the sonically superior amp. And at $650, the FET-A isn't a bad amp at all, but I did find some detractions that would make me hesitant to recommend it for everyone in every situation. I'll write more about the FET-A later in a different thread since I want to keep the subject here to the Luxman. The P200's gain could probably be a little lower but I actually found it not that bad with the low-impedance headphones I used, as I got enough control to achieve just about any volume I wanted. Also it's worth noting the amp doesn't turn on immediately - it takes about 10 seconds to actually fully power up after the power button is pressed (the LED blips for a while as it turns on). As far as sound quality, the Luxman was right up my alley. It was very fast and kept up with everything I threw at it. Strong, clear, & clean treble, in fact quite a noticeable contrast against the FET-A which didn't have as pronounced treble. The FET-A smeared over fast notes in comparison and failed to deliver some key details in the AKUS CDs, like vibrating strings and high-speed twangs. The Luxman also separated & splitted musical elements from each other more distinctly than the FET-A, enough that each could be clearly discerned and located by ear (the FET-A had more of an "integrated" image). I felt the Luxman also had more of a "sharp focus" type of sonic image whereas the FET-A was a bit blurry - very good "crystal clear" sound on the Luxman, but some loss of distinction between musical elements on the FET-A. It also had more controlled and defined bass (the FET-A was a bit flabby and generic-sounding). Good strong, deep bass, though not too much mid-bass quantity (the FET-A was more of a mid-bass pounder). I'd guess the Luxman might sound somewhat similar to a discrete HeadAmp amp but without a Gilmore Lite or GS-1 on hand, I can't say for certain. It had a similar type of sound compared to my AE-2 but I didn't directly compare the two, only going off of memory (the AE-2 has been my primary amp for the past several months). The Luxman did sound "flat/linear" compared to the FET-A which seemed to have a few colorations. I listened for soundstage on every appropriate CD track but my impressions kept varying so I'll say nothing on the subject, other than that the Luxman seemed to do a proper job as far as width and size. For CDs that were recorded with studio acoustics, it did really feel like I was in the studio. I also compared my Plinius CD-101 to my Arcam FMJ CD36 with the Luxman (using the Qualia 010) to check how well it could scale. Oh and it scaled all right, I could hear the clear sonic advantages of the Plinius over the Arcam. The soundstage was smaller on the Arcam and instruments were placed much closer too. Musical elements weren't as properly delineated on the Arcam and multiple concurrent voices/instruments weren't properly separated either. The Plinius also came across as edgier and quicker, and had clearer bass too (somewhat generic-sounding bass on the Arcam). Both CDPs are good though, and both conveyed the kinetic energy of AKUS properly, it's just that the Plinius sounded more detailed due to its faster speed and more separation. (Technical addendum: both the Plinius and Arcam output 2V, so I did not need to adjust the volume for compensation between the two. I also found that the two CDPs have the same remote control codes! I was able to use the Arcam remote on the Plinius and the Plinius remote on the Arcam!) Overall I was impressed by the Luxman. For $1500 it's a very good amp that can scale with high-end sources and it didn't really have any major disadvantages that I could tell, other than perhaps a lack of authoritative low-bass power. It was actually a really good match for my low-impedance headphones from Audio-Technica, Alessandro, Grado, and Sony, and I would recommend it for those brands too. The amp had a hard time driving the K701 though which leads me to not recommend it for use with high-impedance AKGs, Beyers, or Senns. The K701 lacked oomph with this amp, and when I turned up the volume to a very high level (past ear-safe volume), the bass started distorting and the frequency balance went wonky. Pics: (click any for hi-res)

Will you also work on the Grado HF2, maybe to snuff out the "F1"? (I have to ask)

I would recommend not re-cabling any headphones unless you absolutely love how they sound as-is and are seeking to get maybe an extra 1% performance out of them. And even then, I would recommend it only for headphones that are especially revealing. I don't particularly regret having my Audio-Technica AD2000 re-cabled since the headphones have proven to be very detailed and can scale quite high up, but I would question the purpose of re-cabling the Denon, as I owned one and it wasn't very detailed in any part of the frequency spectrum. Also IMO, cables should not inflect their own sonic signature on the input, and the APS V3 does just that, in my experience. I've heard some cables that do inflect a sonic signature.

I'm not sure NekoAudio's post is detailed enough for you, and Hopstretch's post probably too detailed, so I'll take my own stab at this one (can't speak to the other questions). Fully balanced means the DAC (unit) has at least 2 "logical" DACs (ICs) per channel to create differential output - L+, L-, R+, R- (each "minus" referring to inverted phases of Left or Right). A DAC (unit) that is not balanced won't have these two logical DACs (ICs) and will phase-invert in the analog output stage instead of starting at the D/A conversion process. Most DACs (ICs) are stereo making it possible to get away with only 1 DAC (IC) in each channel (for the manufacturer cheapskates), but more ideal is more DACs (ICs) in each channel to lower noise/distortion/etc. Some DACs (ICs) are mono-channel, which means there needs to be 4 of them (at minimum) to achieve a differential output. The PCM1704, for example, is a mono-channel DAC, so for a DAC to be fully balanced with it, 4 of them need to be in use (2 per channel). And to kinda answer your second question, the PCM1704 is one of the well-regarded DACs.

AD2000 - bass is snappier (also possibly more extension - not sure about that though, would have to listen more), more mid-range x-factor (can't really explain more on that, too subjective), and more treble tilt. Definitely "whacks" more insistently too (always an amazing effect on anything percussive). Qualia - dramatic overall treble tilt relative to JH13 so everything sounds brighter, clearer, etc. I'm in the minority but I personally like hearing high-frequency glossing, sheening, ringing, etc, particularly on anything metallic (zomg) and the Qualia perfectly captures those. I always feel like the Qualia digs its "claws" into the treble with perfectly clean lines. Alison Krauss & Union Station for example is always an absolutely amazing listen on the Qualia, in fact I only listen to AKUS with the Qualia. The Qualia does justice to the speed and twangs of the banjo, steel guitar, etc.

I have the JH13 hooked up to my temporary rig of the moment, the Luxman P200 from the Plinius CD-101. Now I understand why Peter sold his L3000 for the JH13. Zomg these are even moar amazing than they already were out of my mere DAP. The level of sound quality out of these is absolutely unreal. I'm not sure I could personally give up both my AD2000 and Qualia in favor of the JH13 though, as those two offer a few things the JH13 doesn't, but damn is this amazing. The bass is ridiculously powerful (moreso than my Klipsch X10) and it still maintains clarity over the rest of the frequency spectrum.

What, and you didn't ask her out? That was your opening right there!

HF2 w/ Luxman P200 I have the Luxman on loan from TTVJ for a few days. Gave it a spin against the TTVJ FET-A last night and zomg! The P200 is even moar better than the FET-A. The experience was insanely head-pelting, it was like the music was attacking me from all directions! I spun Radiohead, Porcupine Tree, and Alison Krauss, and all were amazing. Even more clarity overall than the FET-A and just as fast, if not faster (though I think it was faster). The P200 gave the HF2 a definite kick in the pants, it was sweet. The HF2 zinged, flashed, and sparked like no other! Though I'd also add that the P200 seemed to be significantly treble-tilted and may induce fatigue for people who don't like treble. I like treble myself so I loved it. The only major downside of the P200 with the HF2 is the too-high gain. The amp would appear to favor high-impedance headphones for this reason. I'll be contributing some more in-depth P200 impressions in a separate thread later on with my other headphones - Audio-Technica AD2000, Grado HP1000, Qualia, and maybe the K701. I already like the amp a lot, it packs a punch. I have no idea what IPodPJ wouldn't like about it (IIRC, he wrote on HF he thought the amp wasn't that good). Out of the amps I've heard with the HF2 with so far (HeadAmp AE-2, PPA, and now the FET-A and P200), I think the Luxman is the best pairing!

I think since the AE-1 is long out of production, it's irrelevant. AE-2 ftw.

Your suspicion of the North Star Sapphire may not be entirely amiss Tyler. I took some time to "preview" it before the meet with my HeadAmp AE-2 and found it not quite as good as my Plinius CD-101. (And the reason the Plinius wasn't at the meet is because I'm likely never transporting it again due to mechanical issues - unless of course I can fix the issues, which I might try to do.) What I'd really like to hear is the WA22 on my Plinius.... As for the HD800, it didn't occur to me to try them on the WA22. I did try the HD800 on the Cary CAD-300 SEI that was at the meet though (sourced by an Audio Logic 34MXL) and was again unimpressed by the HD800. I'd still like to hear the HD800 out of more amps and sources to give them a fair shake but my experience so far with them has been underwhelming.

HF2 with TTVJ FET-A I have the amp on loan from Todd (TTVJ), to be returned in a few days. HF2 sounds really good with it. Less forward/upfront in the mid-range than the PPA that I have, but it counterbalances the treble for added refinement and speed. The HF2 sounds that much quicker and more rhythmic with the FET-A. The amp would be even better with the HF2 if it had a lower gain though.

Oh to be 17 again. My life might have been a little different today if I could go back in time....

Maybe the Sony MDR-V6 aka 7506? Can be made more comfortable with the DT250 velour earpads. The V6/7506 is probably on display at your local Guitar Center too.

Why don't you buy both and let us know?

I don't know of anything in Ohio. The closest thing I can think of are the J&R, B&H, and AudioCubes stores in NYC. Well and maybe Guitar Center if there's one near you.

The HeadRoom Bithead is a relative sidegrade from the 3Move - don't waste your time/money. Stick with what you already have and maybe plan to upgrade later to the HeadAmp Pico DAC/amp ($500) when you have more money which will be a real upgrade. As for headphones, you're going to have to buy blind unless you can find local people to audition stuff. Every headphone sounds different and only your ears will tell you what sounds good to you. When it comes to closed headphones under <$200, I like the Audio-Technica ES7, it's a decent all-rounder. But you should hear it for yourself of course. HeadRoom doesn't sell the ES7 but you can order one from Amazon or AudioCubes. Also the ES7 isn't full-size, it's supra-aural (rests on the ears, not around them) if that matters. Not sure you would like the ES7 though if you really like your Etymotic IEMs, as the two will probably sound very different from each other (based on what I've read about Etys).

You missed a recent area meet but keep an eye here for future meets to try out headphones and discover what you like by actually hearing things: Local / Regional Head-Fi Meets, Parties, Get-Togethers - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio The next big meet in your area is ChiUnifi in Chicago (if you can make it that far) in November.

Where do you live? /shifty eyebrows

Music Direct is selling a demo PS Audio DLIII for $599 right now. Smashing deal but it's unknown how many quantities there are and how long the pricing will last so you better grab it quick! MUSICDIRECT - PS AUDIO - DIGITAL LINK III DAC Digital to Analog Converter **DEMO**

Alternately there's also the WA22, transformer-coupled. Might as well go all out, right?

Grado HP1000/HP2 w/ APureSound V3 XLR in Super Nylon.....the same one I had before (I was compelled to re-buy it). Pic from [AK]Zip's site.

Hi, you might want to be more restrictive with the way your loaner program works. Todd at TTVJ has been doing a similar loaner program with some products and I've read of instances where some people have taken advantage of it to steal the products. I don't know what kind of restrictions to suggest though. I ran my own loaner program on Head-Fi back in 2007 which turned out ok, but then I only subjectively chose people who had good feedback, lots of posts, long-time membership, etc. Not to take anything away from your loaner program of course, I think it's a great idea, but as-is it's a little too open for someone to potentially steal a D100. I guess since you're a manufacturer, it probably wouldn't be out of line to require a credit card that you could charge, and then reverse the charge after the trial period.

HF2 vs Alessandro MS2i Lots of similarities, probably more similarities than differences I'd say, but then what do I know. Equipment chain: Plinius CD-101 > PPA w/ dual headphone jacks. Both headphones fitted with bowl pads. Both headphones have a kind of Grado sound - fast, relatively clear, good bass thump, etc. The MS2i is more treble-tilted, the HF2 a tad darker, but only in the treble. The mid-ranges of both headphones don't seem to be too different - greater lower grunt on the HF2, but not by too much. Cleaner, clearer treble on the MS2i which I definitely prefer. MS2i also more laidback - as in, the HF2 feels more upfront/forward and aggressive. Also more "soundstage" on the MS2i, feels like there's more air around and in front of the band. If the MS2i is supposed to be neutral/flat (which is what I've read about it), then I guess one could say that the HF2 is colored in the mid-range/mid-bass direction. I have tried the HD414 pads on both headphones but since I have only 1 pair of them I can't hot-swap the headphones. And I wouldn't trust my own opinion without being able to hot-swap.

Hey I doubt myself everyday too, you're not alone you know. ....is it too late to retract my post though? Aw crap, it is!