Jump to content

MPX3 SLAM SE vs. Supra for Grados


Bob_McBob

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 147
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Another $250 for the 2W version, though that is probably overkill...

My guess is that you might be trading off a higher noise floor for that extra power, which really would go completely unused unless you were driving the K1000, at which point it still wouldn't be enough anyway. I'd do without it.

As a benchmark, the HeadRoom modules put out about 1/2W and they can drive K340's with ease.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually I have a much better idea...

http://www.audiooasis.com/images/products/old/intamp_tube/AudioUpgrades_ASL1003.jpg

That one's going for the bargain price of $1295, and comes with sweet NOS input tubes. All that needs to be done is to add a headphone jack. Same amp that Biggie has, except this one's not tweaked and modded quite as much. Even if it's only 70% as good as Biggie's tweaked out version, it'll still crush every single amp I've heard if you're driving the RS-1.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest sacd lover

My guess is that you might be trading off a higher noise floor for that extra power, which really would go completely unused unless you were driving the K1000, at which point it still wouldn't be enough anyway. I'd do without it.

As a benchmark, the HeadRoom modules put out about 1/2W and they can drive K340's with ease.

No the noise floor remains low; no trade offs are involved. The amp is detuned for standard headphones but can be configured to drive the k1000. The k1000 needs one good tube watt and this amp is good for up to 2.5 watts with some mods and a slightly bigger power transformer. This amp was originally designed with the k1000 in mind. He is going to measure the power output and give me an actual reading .... but it is going to be well over 0.5 watt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest sacd lover

Based on Earl's comments in this thread it's likely that Tyll got that detail wrong and the tubes are 6AS7's and not 300Bs. They do kinda look similar.

6AS7.GIF6as7

300b.jpg300B

Right you are Sir. The output tube is the 6as7/5998 series of tube including the 6080 and 6520 among others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest sacd lover

Yeah, and I am just curious if the PPX extreme uses the same circuit as the regular PPX? I think Earl might know.

Yes and no. The amp has a circuit similar to the ppx3 but this one has one major difference. I know the difference but I think he wants to release that info in his sale thread. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whoa, that is quite an impressive selection of tubes :P

I should probably make it clear that I'm not buying an amp to be used solely with Grados, but I definitely do want it to be able to drive the shit out of my RS-1s! I owned a Dynahi before, and it could do that without breaking a sweat, but I really want to try tubes for a warmer/more interesting sound. After the amp purchase, I intend to buy some K701s and branch out into other headphones to see what else there is out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember that thread…

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2440429#post2440429

I don’t have full privileges on Head-Fi so searching for stuff I remembered reading is limited. I did my best to find your comparison between those amps, which isn’t always easy. At least I tried instead of just making unsupported claims. ;D And I believed this was the first I heard you prefer the HD25 over the ZD. So no dumb play here, but have you ever heard the K701s with the HD25? And you also sold the 701s, right?

Quoting from the linked post .... I dont like the Zana's treble.

I think I said this before but people need to consider every pieces in the audio chain and how they worked together. I even believe someone made a very wise comment about making impressions based on the set-up and not just one particular piece of equipment. Heck, I think it was you.

I think that Apples to Apples analogy isn’t really applicable. I mean you compare two amps and pick, which one you like or you like neither or both. I’ve heard a few 5687 tube amps and I’ve spent time listening to the PPX3 balanced Slam and unbalanced one. I still prefer my EC2A3 over those amps, but to each their own and there’s nothing wrong with that.

So what three members prefered the EC2a3?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest sacd lover

I remember that thread?

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2440429#post2440429

I don?t have full privileges on Head-Fi so searching for stuff I remembered reading is limited. I did my best to find your comparison between those amps, which isn?t always easy. At least I tried instead of just making unsupported claims. ;D And I believed this was the first I heard you prefer the HD25 over the ZD. So no dumb play here, but have you ever heard the K701s with the HD25? And you also sold the 701s, right?

I think I said this before but people need to consider every pieces in the audio chain and how they worked together. I even believe someone made a very wise comment about making impressions based on the set-up and not just one particular piece of equipment. Heck, I think it was you.

I think that Apples to Apples analogy isn?t really applicable. I mean you compare two amps and pick, which one you like or you like neither or both. I?ve heard a few 5687 tube amps and I?ve spent time listening to the PPX3 balanced Slam and unbalanced one. I still prefer my EC2A3 over those amps, but to each their own and there?s nothing wrong with that.

I think it?s more than just three members, but that isn?t my point. We all have difference preferences. And taking into account, there are only four or five EC2A3 ever made it might mean a bit more.

One of the reasons he picked the PPX3 was it?s price and of course sound. People prefer one thing over another for many reasons and SQ isn?t usually the only reason. There are many reasons why some prefers one amp over another system synergy, cost, etc?

Here?s the word from Craig that I received in an email a few months back.

OK here is the skinny on the ZD. Separate power supply chassis, holds three separate power transformers. B+ goes to a pair of DM4A damper diodes. They have the current drive and soft turn characteristics that are perfect for this topology. The main power supply uses four inductors and seven film capacitors. The amplifier topology is similar to your s2A3, DC coupled until the output caps which are custom paper and oil, with film and soy bean oil. They are in sealed aluminum cans and protrude through the top plate. These sound better than any other cap I have heard in OTL service, and are a smaller brother to the giant Xana caps. The amp has a source out of about 12.5 ohms and will slam the Grados, or just about any headphone for that matter. It has a three input selector switch, and two pairs of line outs. I am not going to post any spec's until after the LA meet. All aluminum, top plate is bead blasted with gun metal grey anodize, main chassis and power chassis are jitter bug finish with black anodize. Silver lettering on black. The front has four screws for a polished dress plate which I will offer later.

He might have confused my EC2A3 for the Si2A3, but I?ll check with him about this to confirm.

I didn?t like the GS1000s in my set-up. Yet I did like them at the HE 2006 show with Tyll?s gear. And on all the set-ups I?ve heard the RS-1 I thought they sounded best on the ZD.

Funny? I suppose if the person doesn?t prefer/like it or wants to free up some cash it?s an option that?s available to any owner. Just because a lot of people own some particular product or all like some particular product doesn?t necessarily mean it?s better or worse than another similar situated product.

Craig isn?t the salesman that Ray or Mikhail is. He likes to tinker with the design aspect and people who get paid for their hearing like his work such as but not limited to those folks at Carnegie hall, Cerwin Vega, Belkin (AVpure) and others. Because they have either had him build amps for them or he currently works for them designing amps and such.

I?ve heard the 701s and then recabled and thought the recabling made them sound slightly harsh and edgy on the higher end. Something I wouldn?t want to listen to for long periods. Nor would I select the K701s over the HD650s in my set-up and a few others I prefer. Hell, even the GS-1000s sounded harsh on the top end in my set-up after about an hour. I?ve listen to those other cans, but not recabled and not all on the ZD. Certain headphones mate differently with different pieces of gear and recabled can either help, neutralize, or make certain things worse.

isn?t the HD600 your favorite and primary headphone? I really like the HD650. My ears are sensitive to sharp harsh treble issues, which I couldn?t handle with my EC2A3, HD650s and the stock E5 plus Grover Huffman UR4/5/6s. So go figure? But I believe it was the source and the RCA cables and not the amp or the cans.

I try to take impressions and other?s opinions with a grain of salt and think one must truly hear things in their set-up for themselves. It seems after you couldn?t get the ZD and the comparisons starting popping up after the ZD went into production you?ve been knocking it in your own way, which I don?t remember you leveling before.

Sounds interesting, I?ll look forward to reading the reviews and impressions about it? Hopefully, I?ll be able to hear one in a decent listening environment too.

The 701 didnt exist when the hd25 was around. I have no doubt very few people have heard the combo .... period.

Why the focus on the 701? I heard the same problem with multiple headphones including my favorite which I still own? Gee .... and can peoples opinions change some as they accumulate more experience?

Comparing apples with apples is the ONLY WAY to get a valid impressions. I dont know why you would argue and claim otherwise.

You have a huge scattered response and I dont care to debate each point because that just leads to more spin. But, of course people choose things for different reasons. But if you feel you can get the same sound quality with a less expensive product like the PPX3 slam .... why spend more? This whole exchange started because you challenged my opinion that I think the HD25 is preferable to the Zana. What because you feel most people would like the Zana better I have to? But you fail to recognize other people who like the Zana may or may not do so for the sound quality either.

For example, the comment I hear is .... those big tubes are cool .... they must be really powerful .... which they are .... but not the way they are running in the Zana with 6 watts plate dissipation. But the expectation seems to define the response more than the actual listening for some .... because I definitely hear treble flaws with the amp. The sound doesnt seem linear. Running a 60 watt dissipation tube 10% low on voltage and at 10% of the tubes plate dissipation potetial, per your info, will not result in the tube being linear .... and these type tubes are not the most linear nor refined to begin with. Could that be a valid design issue .... the trade off between reliability and ultimate sound quality? Could that be the problem I am hearing? Definitely!

Craig isnt the salesman Mikhail and Ray are .... ??? What is this? Ray may be a salesman I dont know. Mikhail is definitely not a saleman. Mikhail is a designer and BUILDER. You seem to have missed the fact that Mikhail is every bit as good a designer as Craig, if not better. Just because Mikhail is less well known .... and that can change .... he is every bit as talented and innovative. Is this your issue .... your ego by association? You dont feel your boy is getting the press he deserves? You never faiil to mention his connections or associates. Well, I am no respector of contacts and associations I simply want the product to deliver.

When I listen to six different headphones and hear edgy treble with everyone of them, using a quality tricked out Denon source very similar to mine, with quality cables to feed the amp, I think I have the right to believe the amp has issues. I am not some noob. I am fifty years old and I have been listening to stereo gear since I was eight. With similar gear I do not hear the same problem with my seven SP amps. I dont hear this problem with the new Space Tech amp, the Gilmore GS-1 or the Mapletree ear+. I dont hear it with senn 595's/ senn 600's/ grado sr-80's or akg k240m's. I dont not hear this with my senn 595's or k81dj's straight out of a $ 49 portable cd player. I am not mistaken. The problem may be the 6c33 in the amp but the problem originates with the amp. Which leads to this statement by you .....

909 ....

I try to take impressions and other?s opinions with a grain of salt and think one must truly hear things in their set-up for themselves. It seems after you couldn?t get the ZD and the comparisons starting popping up after the ZD went into production you?ve been knocking it in your own way, which I don?t remember you leveling before.

If you are in any way trying to do your usual veiled, weasle like spin to imply I am knocking the amp out of spite .... guess what you can kiss. I have explained the progression of how I came to my conclusions even tough I in no way owe you an explanation of my opinion. For the last time. I can buy a Zana now or anytime I want one in the future. So what I didnt get one the first run .... I can order one right now. I simply realized I probably can not live with the amp long term with the treble issues I hear. Even though I could buy one and sell the amp at little or no loss if dont want to keep the amp .... I no longer see the need or have the desire to do so. Although it would be interesting to buy one just to shut you up. As I have no doubts about my conclusion.

Is it interesting that I have taken the time to hear things for myself and came up with my own opinion and the whole reason for this discourse is because you cant accept I dont hear things the same as you and worship at the EC alter. You dont own the amp and have minimal experience with the amp to begin with so why do you think you think I should? I still see why people like the amp and it is good sounding other than the treble. If you arent sensitive to a harsher treble the amp may sound very good. But as of my last and longest audition .... that was not the case with me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but I'd rather you guys didn't argue in this thread. It's a really important/expensive decision for me :-\

I'm still hoping I will get some decent impressions from the Florida meet in the thread on head-fi. This treble issue with the ZD doesn't sound good, especially if I'm going to be using it with Grados. I think I am guilty of the "ooh big tubes" mentality (seriously, same thing with the PPX EXTREME), and I don't want to put down $2000 based on that. I do have a few more days to decide, though.

To tell you the truth, I am rather wary of ordering the Space-Tech amp. The price configured the way I'd want it is not exactly cheap. There is also the issue that they are so little-known that I would have a lot of trouble selling it on head-fi if I ever decided I wanted something else (and would likely have to take quite a loss). They DO look interesting, though.

I'm actually leaning towards Singlepower again. I hope Mikhail will post his MOT thread, since the new amp sounds/looks interesting. It's definitely good to have more choices available, especially at the lower price point. I would be interested in hearing about the relative merits of this amp vs. an upgraded MPX3 (SLAM or SLAM SE).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.