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Massdrop x THX AAA 789

Discussion in 'Headphone Amplifiers and Combo (DAC/Amp) Units' started by neogeosnk, Feb 26, 2018.

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  1. Negura

    Negura Friend

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    Negura, Mar 5, 2018
    #41
  2. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    A Grace SDAC looks like a good cheap option from here, maybe. I'm sure they can repeat that one when they feel like it.
     
    Kattefjaes, Mar 5, 2018
    #42
  3. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    I really wish Massdrop would add a proper preamp to their offerings. I love being able to use my Vali 2 as a preamp and don't think I could ever go to another desktop amp if if didn't have that functionality.
     
    fraggler, Mar 5, 2018
    #43
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Yeah. I got a new Jot off the line here and feeding both with Gungnir Multibit. Trying to make sense of things because as @Audio Zenith pointed out two weekends ago, this Jot sounds very different from my old one. Slightly warm and very smooth up top. Need to recalibrate and listen / compare everything again so that any relative impressions of the THX-AAA are not skewed to the wrong reference.
     
    purr1n, Mar 5, 2018
    #44
  5. rott

    rott Secretly hates other millenials - Friend

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    @purr1n is this the amp you might have alluded to in a thread several weeks ago, in which you mentioned "wait for March" when someone asked about an amp in this price range for HD6x0 and/or LCDs? (Can't remember which thread specifically...)
     
    rott, Mar 5, 2018
    #45
  6. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    Stop asking. He literally said earlier he’d never heard it and the press embargo is up.
     
    zerodeefex, Mar 5, 2018
    #46
  7. rott

    rott Secretly hates other millenials - Friend

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    Sorry, stupidly missed the first page of this thread. :oops:
     
    rott, Mar 5, 2018
    #47
  8. Mithrandir41

    Mithrandir41 Friend

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    Jason mentioned a new tube hybrid in his latest chapter. I'm sure you'll know it when you see it.
     
    Mithrandir41, Mar 5, 2018
    #48
  9. BaconBits

    BaconBits Acquaintance

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    Stop teasing us please. Now I understand the 24 hour break. It’s to keep our sanity.
     
    BaconBits, Mar 5, 2018
    #49
  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Gave both amp 24 hours - left on. Used modded HD800 (vader modded) and modded HD650 (KISS modded) and LCD2C (stock). I'd say the THX AAA and Jot are in the same class. Both amps sound extremely similar. I know the Jot measures fantastically (see both mine and @atomicbob's measurements in the appropriate sections here), and I am sure the THX AAA measures fantastically too (I don't have time this week to confirm).

    Now keeping in mind that both amps sound closer to each other than not, and that the Jot seems revised from the original, here are the differences:
    • Jot is slightly thicker, warmer, and full bodied than THX AAA
    • Jot treble is smoother than THX AAA
    • THX AAA treble has just a slight sense brittleness (HD800) or rasp (LCD2C), not surprising given how these headphones measure
    • THX AAA has more depth in the stage front to back, most noticeable on HD800, least noticeable on LCD2C.
    • Jot stage depth is fairly flat
    • Jot bass has more impact and sustain
    • Jot seems a tad slower (Jot isn't a slow amp by any means)
    • THX AAA has transients which are a tad faster and crisper
    • Both are equally resolving and very good at picking up microdetail
    • THX AAA costs $50 less than Jot
    Again, keep in mind that differences are not huge and it took me a bit of back and forth to note the differences. Comparisons were made with Jot on high gain and THX AAA on medium gain. Gain seemed high on the THX AAA, to get equivalent spot on the volume knob to Jot on high gain, I had to set the THX AAA to lowest gain setting. This is a proto, so I am not sure of what is going on without measuring.
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2018
    purr1n, Mar 5, 2018
    #50
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I love the SDAC, but I think the THX AAA deserves a much better DAC. It's resolving enough that it will scale up with better DACs. A warmer or darker sounding DAC with great slam and dynamics might provide better synergy.
     
    purr1n, Mar 5, 2018
    #51
  12. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Hmmmmmm interesting. Too bad the gain seems high. Probably won't work well with IEMs but I'll let someone confirm that.
     
    cskippy, Mar 5, 2018
    #52
  13. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Let me try with IEMs. This is a proto and I know there are some kinks to iron out.
     
    purr1n, Mar 5, 2018
    #53
  14. Kattefjaes

    Kattefjaes Mostly Harmless

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    That good? Nice problem to have. What would you pair it with, that's in the same price range as the amp?

    I'm out of ideas beyond the standard Eitr and Modi Multibit combo.
     
    Kattefjaes, Mar 6, 2018
    #54
  15. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    Cspirou, Mar 6, 2018
    #55
  16. Soups

    Soups Sadomasochistic cat

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    Sorry to hassle the measurement specialists here, but if there's something to later Jots being revised, would some fresh measurements provide any insight into those specific tonal changes (or is that perceived mostly just in hearing)? Honestly, I'm asking because I don't know.

    I got my Jot in early '17, and always thought my take on its sound signature (tilted toward warmish and not at all harsh treble-wise) was a newbish anomaly, and it could still be. Regardless, I don't think I'd enjoy anything even more 'linear' sounding than the Jot, so I hope more ears/comparisons speak to that.
     
    Soups, Mar 6, 2018
    #56
  17. JustAnotherRando

    JustAnotherRando My other bike is a Ferrari

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    Massdrop is pushing the whole special serial number thing a little too hard on this one :)

    Note: This drop is limited to 480 units. Shipping is free to US members and subsidized international shipping. Each amplifier is serialized and the first 480 purchasers are guaranteed a serial number under 500.​
     
    JustAnotherRando, Mar 15, 2018
    #57
  18. Junki

    Junki Facebook Friend

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    Wouldn't a more transparent DAC than the SDAC, particularly one that has even lower THD+N and other measurements, in effect get more "out of the way" of both the music and the amplifier and thereby let this amplifier shine more?
     
    Junki, Mar 25, 2018
    #58
  19. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    No.

    But if you want to believe in THD as the sole indicator, SDAC does have better numbers than ODAC.
     
    purr1n, Mar 25, 2018
    #59
  20. Junki

    Junki Facebook Friend

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    I don’t believe that. I guess I’m trying to learn and ask what I should look for (if any exists) in DAC measurements that would indicate warmth and slam. I did some reading and know that some decreasing lower order harmonics can sound better. But everything else seems more diagnostic.
     
    Junki, Mar 25, 2018
    #60
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