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Post your HeadPhones!
- Thread starter Creizai
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peacetilence
2[H]4U
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I have a darkvoice 332 and sennheiser 650s. My place is kind of messy and I'm feeling a bit sick but I will take pics once I'm feeling better and get things more organized. I think this setup is very nice though. Already bought some new tubes as well as some opamps to replace in my prelude. I prefer this setup to the fully digital panasonic xr-55 and axiom m3ti speakers I had before. My room is just too big for small bookshelves to travel well without cranking the volume (roomates). Haven't tested too many games yet but a tube might not be the way to go for them if you're very critical of how your games sound since tube amps aren't very fast (I think most games have pretty bad sound quality though) everything else sounds very nice though. I'll see what the new tubes and opamps do.
That wooaudio headphone rack in Duals photos is pretty good. Wish the base were bigger though because it slides around on my desk (will have to velcro it) I didn't use a banana rack because I'd be worried the tip of the hanger could damage the headband padding after repeated usage.
That wooaudio headphone rack in Duals photos is pretty good. Wish the base were bigger though because it slides around on my desk (will have to velcro it) I didn't use a banana rack because I'd be worried the tip of the hanger could damage the headband padding after repeated usage.
Rosewill RH-40C 3.5mm Connector Circumaural Multimedia Stereo Headset
They were $1 after rebate. They suck really really bad, but I need a mic.
They were $1 after rebate. They suck really really bad, but I need a mic.
Get a little Masking tape on it...problem sovled (or you could put some foam and then wrap it around the tip with masking tape)
montypythizzle
Gawd
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Best amp evar!!
A little glow on the last pic.
A little glow on the last pic.
That might be debatable.
Glad you are liking your first taste of tubes. What tubes does the Little Dot use?
Viper87227
Fully [H]
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I was thinking the same thing, but what the hell, if he's happy, thats really all that matters . I'd have a lot more money in the bank right now if I could settle for a Little Dot.
. I'd have a lot more money in the bank right now if I could settle for a Little Dot.montypythizzle
Gawd
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That might be debatable.
Glad you are liking your first taste of tubes. What tubes does the Little Dot use?
Yeah, heh, I know it is not the best, but really, it is a great platform for tuberolling and getting a better sound if desired. Besides, ignorance is bliss. I just like the crackling sound the tubes make when they cool down. I also have no idea what tubes they use, I haven't even burned these ones in, let alone go tuberolling already.
I'd have to agree w/ Philodox on that one... the LDII+ was my first tube amp and got me hooked on tubes, but there are much, much, much better amps out there
Heh, maybe you can answer Philodox's question.
I was thinking the same thing, but what the hell, if he's happy, thats really all that matters
Yeah, more headphone amps is the less of my worries, if you were to see what I am going to get then you will know why.
I can't remember what tubes the LDII uses. They aren't very common. I recall having a pair of Mullard tubes and a pair of Russian power tubes. There is really only about 2 options for tubes in each position though so you can't do much with rolling.
montypythizzle
Gawd
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Yeah, I think I should get some new driver tubes, anyone selling or giving away any??
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skyline889
[H]ard|Gawd
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I was thinking the same thing, but what the hell, if he's happy, thats really all that matters
x2 I have a Singlepower MPX3 and I'm still not satisfied...
If your wallet was a 5 year old child with feelings, I think I'd be calling DCF on your ass
Viper87227
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Thankfully, I am very happy when I am at with my Melos. I plan to upgrade it, but at least I am at a point where I don't want a new amp.
The Little Dot MkII's are getting rave reviews on it....supposedly its designed with hd580's and up in mind so it sounds great with sennies...looks like ive got an upgrade in sight after my source gets its turn
And ive got a Mini^3 on the way...should nicely hold me over
And ive got a Mini^3 on the way...should nicely hold me over
peacetilence
2[H]4U
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I was going to go with a LD before I discovered darkvoice. The 336 is meant to be nice for tube rolling but for pure sound quality, despite the fact less options for tubes are available, the 332 and 337 are meant to sound much better. My original intent was beyer dt-880s and a 336 but I was displeased with the beyer sound and no 110v 336's were available.
My setup sounds very nice stock. Can't wait until I get new tubes and new opamps to experiment with for an even better sound.
My setup sounds very nice stock. Can't wait until I get new tubes and new opamps to experiment with for an even better sound.
Opamp? Where are you using that?
The 332 sounds pretty good. There's alot more choices for the driver tubes than there are for output tubes. I had a pretty good experience with some nos GE 5654(? can't remember) driver tubes and some Svet output tubes.
Pinipig523
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Monty,
Congrats on the LDII! I wanted that headphone amp a while back when I wanted to dive into tubes. Good luck with rolling it. It's interesting to hear the difference an old tube makes (er, NOS tubes).
As for me, my headphone amp remains headphone-less.
montypythizzle
Gawd
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Monty,
Congrats on the LDII! I wanted that headphone amp a while back when I wanted to dive into tubes. Good luck with rolling it. It's interesting to hear the difference an old tube makes (er, NOS tubes).
As for me, my headphone amp remains headphone-less.
Yeah, I got pictures of it while I was banned for a while. I got some more pics of the rest of my setup in the speakers thread as well.
Just so you know.
Mullard NOS tubes typically have the Mullard shield logo with double lines on it, newer ones have only one line. I also have a pair of CV131s that don't even have the shield, but my other pair has the double lined shield. Both my M8161s pairs have double lined shields.
Go for the shield, mate.
Mullard NOS tubes typically have the Mullard shield logo with double lines on it, newer ones have only one line. I also have a pair of CV131s that don't even have the shield, but my other pair has the double lined shield. Both my M8161s pairs have double lined shields.
Go for the shield, mate.
missing theory
Weaksauce
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- May 12, 2006
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Compared to just using onboard sound, where does custom audio with nice headphones come into play in music?
Please start a seperate thread.
Reeecable...regular 1/4" jack, no screw on
Iron_Dreamer
Weaksauce
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- Oct 14, 2005
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Some gratuitous audio pr0n for y'all to celebrate my latest and smallest arrival. Don't let looks deceive you, it's amazing how many full-size CD players and DAC's this little wonder outperforms:
peacetilence
2[H]4U
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Apologies for the terrible quality. I changed my lighting (put a lamp behind my monitor which looks very nice IRL but not so much in photos. And I'm using a camera phone. I need to get a new digicam.
Kind of interesting because the tubes show up as purple in the camera phone but they're orange IRL. The camera on this phone is terrible.
montypythizzle
Gawd
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peacetilence
2[H]4U
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I'm using them in the auzen prelude. You can switch out the opamps in it. I bought 2 different types of brown burr opamps to test.
I switched out the stock chinese driver tubes for some mullards and it made a huge difference.
I bet it's a good phone though! LOL
montypythizzle
Gawd
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...Does anyone have any extra Mullards....
Pinipig523
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Nice recent set ups everyone!
Especially like the Pico and how it matches the L3K. Btw, what kind of camera are you sporting there, Peter?
Especially like the Pico and how it matches the L3K. Btw, what kind of camera are you sporting there, Peter?
montypythizzle
Gawd
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Wait, EXIF is now a forum member ^_^.
Iron_Dreamer
Weaksauce
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So far I can only compare them as DAC/amp combos, as I have yet to do any real listening with the Pico hooked up to the analog output of the Apogee.
In this configuration, the first difference I noticed when listening to the Pico is the improved bass control as compared to the Apogee (using the L3000). I'd almost be willing to bet that the Pico has a lower output impedance than the Apogee's amp. Quick, dynamic bursts of bass pack a more powerful, yet abrupt punch, whereas the Apogee portrays such transients in a more muffled manner. Also, fast basslines are easier to decipher with the Pico, while they have a tendency to run together and sound less like distinct notes with the Apogee. This could lead some to percieve the Apogee to have more bass, as that indistinctness gives an impression of near-constant bass levels whereas the Pico's level fluctuates more with the music. Note for note, the Pico has an equal volume of bass, it is simply delivered in a different fashion.
On a related note, the Pico seems to produce sharper transients, more rapid sudden changes in volume. The effect is to make sounds more viceral, but also closer sounding than from the Apogee, which has a larger, if more diffuse presentation. Likewise, the Pico produces a slightly more layered sound which lens itself to identifying and following individual instruments more easily. There is also a touch more high-end sparkle when listening to the Pico.
When using my linear power supply with the Apogee it produces an equally smooth/grain-free sound to the Pico. However, the stock linear supply makes the sound a bit edgier/grainer, so the majority of Apogee users would likely find the Pico slightly better in this regard as well.
There you have it; for my preferences, thus far, I've found the Pico to be a better-sounding one-box USB audio/headphone setup. I can see how some might prefer the somewhat more relaxed, diffuse presentation of the Apogee (w/linear PSU). Though the frequency response of the two is empirically nearly identical, I think many would find the Apogee to be the "warmer" sounding of the two units, like due to the aforementioned bass transient and sparkle issues. And one also must consider gear pairing, and as I've used the L3000 for this comparison, someone using a radically different sounding headphone might have a different preference between the two.
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