September 19, 20169 yr Yes yes, but which portable amp should I get to power my new Utopias -- the minifartZ XT2.2 or the Happystyle Pooku Yay? Opinions appear to differ on HF.
September 19, 20169 yr 3 hours ago, skullguise said: All amps sound the same, you could go Happy or Fart...... According to Tyll, they are within 5% of one another. Between amps not Fart. Edited September 19, 20169 yr by purk
September 19, 20169 yr 6 hours ago, Hopstretch said: Yes yes, but which portable amp should I get to power my new Utopias -- the minifartZ XT2.2 or the Happystyle Pooku Yay? Opinions appear to differ on HF. Happystyle Pooku Yay just for the delightful name. I mean, just think about "presentation" -- you'll be smiling before you even put them on.
September 20, 20169 yr In all seriousness, I always wonder what headphone makers use as amplification (and source(s)) during the development of TOTL reference cans.
September 20, 20169 yr 7 minutes ago, jpelg said: In all seriousness, I always wonder what headphone makers use as amplification (and source(s)) during the development of TOTL reference cans. Me too, this is an excellent question. Amplification and source.
September 20, 20169 yr Knowing Focal, probably Naim DAC-V1 (Focal and Naim merged in 2011, and Focal always use Naim gear to demo their speakers) Edited September 20, 20169 yr by stax fart
September 20, 20169 yr 6 hours ago, jpelg said: In all seriousness, I always wonder what headphone makers use as amplification (and source(s)) during the development of TOTL reference cans. It would just have to be the Objectiv2 and ODAC. I mean, figures don't lie - do they.......?
September 20, 20169 yr The guy who is electronics design director at NAIM is called Steve Sells. Way back, I recruited him from University into Cambridge Audio, when he was already a power amplifier designer of some capability. After a short while, we moved that into Wharfedale, where we planned to re-launch the LEAK brand. I asked him to design the best power amp he possibly could, price no compromise. I told him that we had to out-Krell Krell, and if he felt that silver wired mains power transformers were essential, he could have them (he didn't - phew!). This was a superb animal, balanced input, bridged FET output monoblocks that would push 800W into 2 ohms, each with three mains transformers (two huge ones + and - for power transistors, and a single higher voltage one for the input amplifiers). Fast forward three decades, and NAIM told him the same thing, best possible no holds barred - Statement was the result. Not for those with less than seven figure salaries. An awesome audio tour de force. Have a look at this:
September 21, 20169 yr 22 hours ago, stax fart said: Knowing Focal, probably Naim DAC-V1 (Focal and Naim merged in 2011, and Focal always use Naim gear to demo their speakers) 17 hours ago, wink said: It would just have to be the Objectiv2 and ODAC. Whatever they use, could one presume that that particular combination yields the ideal sound signature they were striving for?
September 21, 20169 yr A perfect amp and/or transducer would never yield an ideal sound signature to all us imperfect hearers.
September 21, 20169 yr 1 hour ago, wink said: A perfect amp and/or transducer would never yield an ideal sound signature to all us imperfect hearers. But it would presumably impart their intent, I think was his point.
September 21, 20169 yr At the end of the day the manufacturers produce the "sonic signature" that they believe is either "wire with gain" or of a colour/flavour they think will garner the most sales.
September 21, 20169 yr Why even post that? I think we all know that. I think his point was that if you believe in the manufacturer's aural vision , then the best way to achieve it might be to find the same source and amplification. The way you said it takes all the art out of it. Now I don't personally believe that all manufacturers of high end audio are artists, but I think at least several of them succeed.
September 22, 20169 yr Craig, I got to hear that amp a while back. It is what they say it is. Very, very nice.
September 22, 20169 yr 16 hours ago, Dusty Chalk said: Why even post that? I think we all know that. I think his point was that if you believe in the manufacturer's aural vision , then the best way to achieve it might be to find the same source and amplification. The way you said it takes all the art out of it. Now I don't presonally believe that all manufacturers of high end audio are con-artists, but I think at least several of them succeed. FTFY.
September 24, 20169 yr I don't have the Utopia but do have the Elear on loan. This is a crazy good headphones for rock & roll. Very dynamics, punchy, and powerful. Not the last word on soundstage, transparent, resolving ability. They do a lot right and very little wrong. In a stock form, the bass is a tad much for me but that got tighten a bit after a moon audio silver dragon upgrade. The Elear, to me, is quite a bargain at under grand. I tried them with number of amps including the ECP DSHA-2, Oppo HA-1 and it sounded best out of the SuSy Dynahi for sure.
October 1, 20169 yr On 9/25/2016 at 2:11 AM, purk said: Not the last word on soundstage, transparent, resolving ability. Over a decade of dedicated headphone listening, I've decided that these are the things I most care about. In your estimation, what's the last word on transparency and resolving ability among dynamic headphones today?
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