HeadphoneAddict

I use my iPhone 3G all the time with ALAC and there is no skipping unless it is downloading email at the same time.

It can drive my 600 ohm AKG K240M.

OUCH!

That is similar to my findings with the Sigma 11.

I have an LLC that I registered in CO so that it could buy firearms suppressors, short barrel rifles or machine guns for me without all the finger prints, photos and sheriff signing off, so I had to register and then I file annual reports. In Colorado when you register a business or LLC, you can to do an online report once a year that basically shows you do have changes or do not have changes to the business address and contacts or articles of incorporation. I only pay like $10 to e-file online each year to keep the business registered and active. If you file a paper annual report by mail it costs more. Basically SP could NOT take the time to file reports on time, but I just think that means they are not a legal entity until they file and pay for the report, so SP has no legal rights without doing that. You may be able to sue the individuals during those times when they can't hide behind the corporate shield. Anyone know if that is true?

Blutarsky and I used an HP-1000 and APS cabled D2000 via headphone out, and HE60/HEV70 through the DAC for our testing and findings (and spent hours listening). Are you using an upgraded Duet breakout cable or something, because we were too. I love the Duet, but I can't say it is better than the Mini-DAC - equal possibly, better no, especially when you add the N_Maher built Sigma11 PSU on the mini-DAC. Theoretically some say the Sigma11 shouldn't make a difference because the Apogee cranks up the AC power to something like 750Mhz inside the unit to get all noise outside the audible range, and uses internal power regulators for the DC. Anybody have any thoughts on that? Regardless, there are times when the mini-DAC is the better option over Duet, like for feeding it from a CD or DVD or SACD player or other sources than a Mac, like a PC. When I get my new aluminum Macbook the Duet will not be an option at all, since Apple dropped firewire, but my Pico and Apogee mini-DAC will keep working with it (and HR Micro DAC, and others). I was going to buy Blutarsky's Duet until Apple dropped the ball, since he replaced it with a Stello DA100 for the extra inputs and USB.

I'm sure there are butt kissers keeping their mouths shut, hoping to get their money back.

No I haven't, but I would like to try a balanced Beta22. And the beta22 speaker outputs to drive my Stax SRD-7 Pro and O2 Mk2 would be nice to try too. One amp to rule them all. Yes, I heard Naamanf's M^3 with separate PSU out of the Mini-DAC and it was very nice, and was similar to the WA6, except with Edition 9 where it was much better because the PDPS mod and Sophia hadn't been done yet (was using an Amperex Bugle Boy GZ34 which is not as good as the Sophia). I've not heard an amp that is 100% better than the Apogee headphone out, but to me 30-40% better is a significant upgrade, especially when the old saying goes "spend 10x more for that last 10%". It also depends on the headphones, because while the WA6 maxed with blah blah blah mods is 30% better with most of my cans which are low impedance (grado, denon, ultrasone), it may be as much as 50% better with the HD600 and sounds close to a balanced single power with HD600 (which was better than a Headroom Balanced Desktop out of a Meridian CDP). That's basically what I'm saying, the EF1 and NOVO are fairly close but slightly better than the Apogee headphone out. The WA6 maxed with PDPS and Sophia, or Zana Deux, or Gilmore Reference, or Melos SHA Gold are all amps that I have heard that are a more noticable upgrade over the Apogee and worth getting. Based on what I heard at the Colorado head-fi meet in July, the Headroom Balanced Desktop is another nice amp that is a notch above and not too similar to the Apogee headphone out. Interestingly, my 2008 Square Wave XL is the ONLY Single Power amp I liked at the whole meet. The ES-1 was okay, but I liked the GES better, and the Transparency sounded like crap. As for the DAC, do you mean mini-DAC when you said micro? Blutarsky and I spent a bit of time comparing the Duet and mini-DAC HP out and line out, and with the stock Apogee PSU they were extremely similar which a slight nod to the mini-DAC for a miniscule bit of extra weight and presence (like 1-2% better). This mini-DAC seems a little smoother with the Sigma11 n_maher built for it (was Iron_Dreamers) and Iron_Dreamer swore by the Sigma11. I really like that I can connect my Macbook via USB, my DLO Homedock HD via optical and my CDP via Coax and switch between three sources, and use it on a PC if I need to, which the Duet can't do. The Duet is still probably the best bang for the buck for computer driven DAC, with the Stello DA100 being more expensive for a similar sound but more flexibility. I love finding great sound at good prices.

I'll have to have you come visit with Sherwood and Blutarsky to listen to mine when they get here. Should be fun.

Great feedback Augsburger, thanks!

I agree with your findings driving HD600 directly from the XLR. I also agree with your findings of the Apogee headphone out sounding better than the headfive (I have all of the above here, been there done that). The XLR > RCA > nice amp will sound better than headphone out if you get a good enough amp for the job. Here is where I will get jumped on, and I almost wasn't going to post this part, but I want to help. I'm just gonna pull some "percent better" numbers out of the air here, because I have no way to measure them. Out of the amps I have tried, the lowest price upgrade is the Grahm Slee NOVO but it is only maybe 5% better, maybe 10% with the Sigma 11 PSU added (smoother and more powerful and brighter, soundstage no improvement). Next up would be my Head-direct EF1 which is about 10-15% better with stock tube and opamp, being warmer richer and fuller sounding with more power and smoother sounding, but the EF1 soundstage is just about the same or slightly narrower than headphone out of the Apogee. The Dark Voice 336 was not an upgrade, nor is my Headfive, although they are decent sounding. Then there is the Woo WA6 which is a nice step up - a stock WA6 at Luminette's last November was more spacious and refined and maybe 20% better than Apogee headphone out. At the same meet my WA6 maxed with PDPS and Sophia rectifier was about 30% better than Apogee headphone out and was more refined with clearer treble and more micro-detail, and slightly more expansive soundstage than the stock WA6. On about the same level as maxed WA6 with PDPS and Sophia rectifier is plaidplatypus's loaner Gilmore Reference Headphone Amp which is better than WA6 with Denon and Edition 9 but not as good with HD600 and RS-1. Then there is my 2008 Single Power Square Wave XL with Blackgates in balanced mode, but I am not going to discuss that one here (moratorium). There are times when I like the WA6 better, especially for it's warmth and richness and punch with Grados. PS: I think the SS is pretty close to the same as Apogee headphone out, except with HD600 it is better.

So, in exchange, I hope they are installing O2 Mk2 pads and a O2 cable for you instead... As for my JADE:

He was Chinese, not Japanese.

I said "slightly" less bass control, while they sounded almost identical I thought the GES bass was slightly tighter once the EQ was applied. . I can't seem to multi-quote on this iPhone, so to the other issue - maxed vs not. I only said I hear more transparency and detail, not a change in sound signature or more power. Also, remember the prototype was not up to the level of a standard base-line current production GES according to Woo and another user who compared them together. I'm not claiming anything magical.

The GES prototype floating around for demos and Sherwood's SRM-T1 sound very similar in detail and sound signature, with the T1 having a couple more dB of bass output but slightly less bass control to go with the extra bass. The maxed GES adds more transparency and detail to the sound which is very welcome. This was with ESP950, HE60, and Lambdas just before the O2 mk2 arrived.

Why did you return the JADE after your love affair with them in your top 5? My JADE shipped to me today and I don't want to be disappointed. As for O2 - with my GES and vintage Telefunken 12AX7 they are certainly not dark, same goes with GE "Wurlitzer" or new-issue cryo treated Mullards. The 12BZ7 it came with made the O2 dark but not my other stats.

No snow.

It was everyone else crashing, not her. Traffic jams reigned.

The snow was a PITA this AM. Ice and crashes made my daughter 1hr late for high school.

The app is gone now

body temp is about 37C (36.6 to be exact)

I think I'd be the one to ask for it in "all black" if I could afford one...

Or, how much does a balanced M^3 cost?

I agree, so now donunus needs a good balanced amp, and SP is out (as much as I love the Square Wave XL) until Mikhail gets his act together. His budget is tight, so that leaves the Little Dot Mk VI and the noisy fan, or a Headroom Balanced Desktop. I've heard the Headroom at the July meet and it was very nice but 2x his budget. However, the WA6 maxed with pseudo dual power supply and sophia princess 274b rectifier is VERY good with the HD600, and extremely close to balanced. You get all the tubey goodness, sparkle and spaciousness and separation with good bass and power, with a nice night-light to keep the under bed monsters away. Problem, out of budget again.

I thinks it's great you are making sacrifices for your parents.