The All Purpose Advice Thread

Discussion in 'Advice Threads' started by purr1n, Sep 26, 2015.

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  1. Prydz

    Prydz Friend

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    Yeah thats what I thought... Nothing new on the market... :D
     
  2. TheFighter

    TheFighter New

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    What amp to choose in the price budget under 400, I see there are 3 amp in the leader board valhalla2, project ember2 ,and recently added torpedo.

    So, how to choose between these great budget amp? Are there the one that stand out compare with others?
     
  3. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    Depends on the headphones, dac, and listening priorities.
     
  4. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Torpedo is DIY which rules it out for 99.9% of people. Ember is a hybrid (tube with SS section). Valhalla 2 is an tube OTL, only suitable for high impedance headphones like HD6x0, HD800, T1, etc.
     
  5. TheFighter

    TheFighter New

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    So, from my understanding,

    Tube (val2) will be best for the like of hd6x0 and not so much with planar.
    Solid State (like asgard2) will be best for planar and not so much with dynamic.
    And hybrid(ember2) are decent for both planar and dynamic but not the best?
     
  6. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    Don't even bother using planars with the valhalla 2. Not enough power for sure. It sounded terrible with the he-560s but sounded surprisingly okay with Hands' modded PM-2.

    I wouldn't go with those generalities, except that OTL tube amps generally work much better for high impedance headphones than orthos.
     
  7. Pyruvate

    Pyruvate Friend

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    I know many people here aren't fans of Mrspeaker's Mad Dogs, but I recently found one for dirt cheap and grew to love its sound. A nice weighty sound that's a bit dark, so it works well with trip hop and lounge (what I listen to most). I know Marv has stated that the mad dog pros strike a good balance between the MDs and alpha dogs, but is it worth the additional $170 + shipping? Especially when I paid less than that for the MDs.

    Thanks for any advice guys. I really want to hear a paradox one day to compare them with the MDs.
     
  8. imackler

    imackler Key Lime Pie Infected Aberdeen Wings Spy

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    Thanks for the new forum! I thought I'd been banned or something from Changstar when I couldn't find the reply button :)

    If anyone has a minute, I'm looking for a couple recommendations 1) USB dac/amp for use with iems and 2) a battery powered version of the same. I mention both because I'm still not sure whether I need the battery power... I almost always have my laptop with me, but with more old tablets and phones laying around, it could make sense to have a battery powered one.

    I honestly don't spend a lot of time weekly with iems so a couple hundred bucks is max.

    Thanks!
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2015
  9. thegunner100

    thegunner100 Hentai Master Chief

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    Geek out v2+. The version with the battery. Or get the regular one if you dont think you need the battery. If you want to go cheaper, the GO450 works pretty well too! Maybe if you're using it exclusively for iems, GO100 for more volume play but I believe that version doesn't sound as good as the 450.
     
  10. velvetx

    velvetx Gear Master West/Vendor Spotlight Moderator

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    I actually like the Mad Dogs by Mr Speakers. Dan is a great guy and he's very honest. I really do hope that his Ether is successful as to me he is very upfront and honest with the community. That and he will go out of his way to make sure you are happy.

    I love the bass slam and comfort. For $300 it was honestly a great budget headphone. Also paired well with the types of music I listen to (rock, electronic, and hip hop) also video games and movies :) .
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2015
  11. bixby

    bixby Friend

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    Hi:

    I listened to the Alphas a fair amount over the last two Denver summer meets. While a bit more open in the critical 3k range, still not open enough and will require some eq if you want it to open even more. So I now run the Mad Dogs with EQ and a fair amount of it in the 1k to 4k range. and am very pleased. For me the price is just too high on the Alpha Dogs and you still have some innate T50 issues with both. I would rather save the cash, get a better dac or amp and use EQ.

    Oh and the Alphas are heavier, FWIW

    Now the Paradox and other T50mods do sound quite different than the Dogs. Depends on your preference and budget as to which way one might turn.
     
  12. Pyruvate

    Pyruvate Friend

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    Thanks for the advice guys.

    @velvetx HAHAHA dude, I bought the mad dogs off you from HF. I just recognized your name. They are phenomenal and have quickly become a staple in my listening sessions. Spending more time with the the MDs made me realize that the Ethers take after them, and now I really want to give the Ethers a second listen (knowing what to listen for now). $1500 is a bit steep for me though, but I'm sure Dan will surprise us with lower priced options one day.
     
  13. aufmerksam

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    I have been waiting to find a good deal on the jbl lsr305. Found a set of whites, new, for $99 each. Great deal, but...

    Should I give a shit that they are white? Should I suck it up and just get great sound for cheap, looks be damned?

    I usually don't care about this stuff, but most of my office peripherals are black, and the speakers are pretty prominent on stands on my desk, so I fear it might look ostentatious or something. Halp!
     
  14. Mrip

    Mrip Friend

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    White and shiny, 12" tall, on stands, on your office desk? People will most definitely be talking about that.
     
  15. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    Assuming (dangerous!) that you are not black, should you not throw yourself out for not matching?

    ;)
     
  16. aufmerksam

    aufmerksam Friend

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    Assumption is valid, but with peripherals and speakers, I am talking deathstar vs dress shirt here. Actually, I typically wear white dress shirts, maybe they will blend in...
     
  17. Thad E Ginathom

    Thad E Ginathom Friend

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    There's your answer. Buy and be smart. And happy.

    But... I thought it was only a certain class of Brits that dressed for listening!
     
  18. imackler

    imackler Key Lime Pie Infected Aberdeen Wings Spy

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    Thanks for the ideas. Maybe I'll try to pick up a used 450. That's more in my price range.
     
  19. audiofrk

    audiofrk Guest


    .....<sight> I think we should clear some stuff up. We are talking about the difference between dacs here. These differences are smaller than those of amps. Also for those that are getting sticker shock at the Gungnir Multibit you probably will be real supprised at the cost of amps and upstream gear that can take full advantage of the Gungnir Multibit. So if we take away the theta data transport, the summating transformers, and the zana duexS is the Gungnir Multibit with USB still noticeblely better than the Bifrost Multibit with just the valhalla? Yup, it is. But is it going to have you kicking yourself for not getting the Gungnir Multibit I dont think so.

    Remember having one great componet doesnt make or break the chain. You need to have good synergy. The Bifrost Multibit + Valhalla 2 + hd650 +pyst cables+ blue jean coax+ raspberry pi2 + hifiberry digi+ will probably clobber most other set ups out there and will cost you around $1500. Want it slightly euphonic get the Phillips miniwatt tubes. Want something sweet and warm get the amperix orange label tubes. Want something neutral get the Edwardian tubes.

    But for those that want to do the endgamer dance, get the Gungnir Multibit it will scale better. Just don't expect the setup to be inconspicuous.
     
  20. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    How does the Lyr 2 compare to the Valhalla 2 for the HD650? What about lower impedance cans?
     
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