Bengineer Posted February 12, 2020 Posted February 12, 2020 40 minutes ago, Benjet said: What have you gone and done? You can't prove anything.
Bengineer Posted February 12, 2020 Posted February 12, 2020 I was planning to have a productive work day today ...
MachinePlay Posted February 12, 2020 Posted February 12, 2020 Pathos Converto / Sony MDRZ7 Simple Setup . 3
Bengineer Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 Apart from what appears to be a USB grounding issue / noise (when nothing is playing can hear it), this is how it currently looks. Might grab a iFi iDefender , should work. SMSL SP200 volume pot is a bit average, so have just maxed it to where its too loud, and control volume from DAC via remote, works fine. 2
Suopermanni Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 10 hours ago, Bengineer said: Apart from what appears to be a USB grounding issue / noise (when nothing is playing can hear it), this is how it currently looks. Might grab a iFi iDefender , should work. SMSL SP200 volume pot is a bit average, so have just maxed it to where its too loud, and control volume from DAC via remote, works fine. Is that a zmf verite?
Bengineer Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 Yes sir. And I've figured out the noise issue. Was 50% in the USB Power cable and 50% in the USB Data cable. Can sort the Power one easily, actually plugged into a phone charge for the moment. Might get a dedicated 5V power pack or just a Anker PowerPort desktop USB power hub. And the USB Data cable plugged into the front ports did the job. Front ports run off a separate leader back to the mobo, which may run off a different rail on the PSU. Worst case, it stays plugged into the front. 1
Odyssey Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 19 hours ago, Bengineer said: Apart from what appears to be a USB grounding issue / noise (when nothing is playing can hear it), this is how it currently looks. Might grab a iFi iDefender , should work. SMSL SP200 volume pot is a bit average, so have just maxed it to where its too loud, and control volume from DAC via remote, works fine. Congrats on snapping up the ZMF Verite. Sounds great driven by Studio Six or Oblivion. This headphone has all the clarity and details and yet sound very smooth and natural, which makes long listening sessions fatigue free and enjoyable.
Bengineer Posted February 13, 2020 Posted February 13, 2020 2 hours ago, Odyssey said: Congrats on snapping up the ZMF Verite. Sounds great driven by Studio Six or Oblivion. This headphone has all the clarity and details and yet sound very smooth and natural, which makes long listening sessions fatigue free and enjoyable. I could barely afford the Verite, the Studio Six is a bit of a stretch mate I bet it sounds good!
sly_bastard Posted February 14, 2020 Posted February 14, 2020 On 13/02/2020 at 8:43 AM, Bengineer said: I was planning to have a productive work day today ... How you finding them? Looking the sp200, I think it is a great little amp but does get warm.
Bengineer Posted February 14, 2020 Posted February 14, 2020 Plenty of juice in a tiny tiny box. Looks nice, well built except for the volume knob. I set it around 40% on Low Gain and have the topping set at -10.0 db, then use the Topping remote to up and down volume as each song requires. 40% on the SMSL SP200 and full on the Topping is too loud. Hard to tell you how good it is. I went straight into SMSL and Verite. So 99% of the goodness is the cans. But they feel adequatly driven at this point. Topping dope little dac too. Apart from my USB noise issues (fault of mobo/psu) that it seems sensitive to, can't complain. Its *tiny*, and I mean tiny tiny, but still weighs 500g. Solid little thing. Its about the size of a drinks coaster, and 2cm thick.
Odyssey Posted February 14, 2020 Posted February 14, 2020 Verite in action. This one is in Pheasant wood. Stunning driven by Oblivion. The amp is transparent with a touch of tube tone. 2
Bengineer Posted February 14, 2020 Posted February 14, 2020 Looking for a budget cable now. Might terminate in 2.5mm balanced, gives me flexibility to adapter to everything else easily enough.
Suopermanni Posted February 15, 2020 Posted February 15, 2020 On 14/02/2020 at 10:47 AM, Bengineer said: Plenty of juice in a tiny tiny box. Looks nice, well built except for the volume knob. I set it around 40% on Low Gain and have the topping set at -10.0 db, then use the Topping remote to up and down volume as each song requires. 40% on the SMSL SP200 and full on the Topping is too loud. Hard to tell you how good it is. I went straight into SMSL and Verite. So 99% of the goodness is the cans. But they feel adequatly driven at this point. Topping dope little dac too. Apart from my USB noise issues (fault of mobo/psu) that it seems sensitive to, can't complain. Its *tiny*, and I mean tiny tiny, but still weighs 500g. Solid little thing. Its about the size of a drinks coaster, and 2cm thick. I will have to keep that in mind when I get my own SMSL SP200. The gain settings are a bit nuts apparently, +6DB is low gain and +18DB is high gain.
Zekestah Posted February 16, 2020 Posted February 16, 2020 My current setup RME ADI-2 DAC Drop THX McChanson 2W 6EW7 Single ended triode amp Currently using the Verum Audio Verum 1 mk1. Have other headphones on rotation. 5
Ehrmantraut Posted February 18, 2020 Posted February 18, 2020 Even though the Verite is 300 Ohm it is relatively sensitive at 97db/mw. The SP200 is an impressive unit for its size and cost with THX low distortion. Pumping out 0.2mW in "low" gain and 0.326mW in "high" gain at 300 ohm load. That's 1.8W and 2.9W at 32 Ohm. Again, impressive! @Bengineer I'm sure that you will enjoy long hours of beautiful prog rock, especially once you fix that "noise".
Ehrmantraut Posted February 18, 2020 Posted February 18, 2020 On 16/02/2020 at 6:09 PM, Zekestah said: My current setup RME ADI-2 DAC Drop THX McChanson 2W 6EW7 Single ended triode amp Currently using the Verum Audio Verum 1 mk1. Have other headphones on rotation. How are you finding the Verums? Any comparisons for us?
Bengineer Posted February 18, 2020 Posted February 18, 2020 4 minutes ago, BlueOceanBoy said: Even though the Verite is 300 Ohm it is relatively sensitive at 97db/mw. The SP200 is an impressive unit for its size and cost with THX low distortion. Pumping out 0.2mW in "low" gain and 0.326mW in "high" gain at 300 ohm load. That's 1.8W and 2.9W at 32 Ohm. Again, impressive! @Bengineer I'm sure that you will enjoy long hours of beautiful prog rock, especially once you fix that "noise". Yeah, its a lot of power. Too much even. I've located the background noise, its any USB connection to the PC on the back. Front not so bad. I'm still getting some slight crackle/pops and "grain" on more dynamic parts on songs though. Hard to know if its something in my chain, or just headphones showing results of bad production and the loundess wars...
Ehrmantraut Posted February 18, 2020 Posted February 18, 2020 The VO are nicely resolving and fairly analytical, so yes, will "show up" poor recordings or low res stream.
Zekestah Posted February 19, 2020 Posted February 19, 2020 15 hours ago, BlueOceanBoy said: How are you finding the Verums? Any comparisons for us? I find them very pleasant to my ears. I would say the comparison would be a poorman's LCDX
Ehrmantraut Posted February 26, 2020 Posted February 26, 2020 I know - I'm a bad person and deserve to be punished! The magic and warmth of tubes has lured me in again. After I sold my WA22, I said that's it! Enough tube rolling and hum! The HE-9 drives my ZMF and LCD just fine. But the 300B just grabbed me. Oodles of power, tons of rich soundstage and makes the VCs sing. LCDs not so much as expected. So have to keep both amps right? LCDs for rock, ZMF for vocals and jazz. 10 1
mwhouston Posted February 26, 2020 Posted February 26, 2020 33 minutes ago, BlueOceanBoy said: I know - I'm a bad person and deserve to be punished! The magic and warmth of tubes has lured me in again. After I sold my WA22, I said that's it! Enough tube rolling and hum! The HE-9 drives my ZMF and LCD just fine. But the 300B just grabbed me. Oodles of power, tons of rich soundstage and makes the VCs sing. LCDs not so much as expected. So have to keep both amps right? LCDs for rock, ZMF for vocals and jazz. Now that’s serious.
Bengineer Posted February 27, 2020 Posted February 27, 2020 How long you warm that sucker up just for that photo haha 1
Ehrmantraut Posted February 28, 2020 Posted February 28, 2020 10 mins warm up for the photo - hours afterwards soaking up the richness of the music. I might be tempted by the Takatsukis on classified - only 2K for a pair! But handmade - awesome. You remember the old days when we had Marantz, Luxman, Yamaha or McIntosh amps with those VU meters? Don't really do anything but look great. If it's too loud on the VU, it's probably too loud at your ears. Keep the photos coming guys - just by posting photos, it's starts a lot of good conversations about what gear you have and how to use it etc. 1
Odyssey Posted February 28, 2020 Posted February 28, 2020 Neil, you're going through gear much faster than me. I had thought about the Cayin HA-300 but these will have to wear out my interest first. Oblivion by Ultrasonic Studios and Studio Six by ALO Audio. I'm enjoying these with ZMF Verite and HD800. Sold off the LCD-3f which on hindsight I should have kept. Also sold off the Glenn OTL amp. I'm using Sylvania 6sn7w metal base, Brimar 6V6gt black glass, Mullard OB2, GEC U52 tubes with the Studio Six. 2
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