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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2012 16:50:18 GMT
The S2 has just arrived from Mike for me to have a listen to. It's freezing cold here so it's going to have to warm up for a couple of days.
I switched it on and I'll leave everything to adjust.
First impression - what a solid amp this is. It's a solid silver square shaped box with two inputs. Minimalist but gorgeous looking. The weight is unbelievable. Personally, I think it looks really smart.
The power supply is a hefty thing as well. It resembles a Little Pinkie in size. (Standard one) It's slightly larger than the Pinkie but smaller than my posh deluxe one.
This amp is built to last. Like a solid piece of metal with a volume knob on the front.
I couldn't resist a quick listen on the K601 and it sounded good. It'll probably improve with a little warm up but the K601 was easily driven by it and it seemed a nice, comfortable 'surround' sound type of experience. It's an engaging sound and delivers some really nice bass; even on a K601. Then again, I find the old Panda a good amp with the K701. For me, it was better than any other amp for the K701. This seems to be a good match too.
First impressions then are that it is rock solid. Good, healthy sound delivery. Great power supply. A heavy, quality feel to the unit.
I'll have some listening done soon .......
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Post by PinkFloyd on Dec 12, 2012 21:50:48 GMT
Aha! Parcel Force managed to find you then? Give her a while to come up to room temperature (possibly 7 months?) and take your time with it Ian..... These "festivities" are only a couple of weeks away (thank GOD, I can't wait for them to end) and then it's the "easter egg" roll out....... Have a few months with it, slot it in whenever you feel like it..... It won't be passed onto anybody else, it's your review and yours only. All the best, Mike.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 12, 2012 22:32:00 GMT
Thanks Mike. I always enjoy hearing new gear and get a bit enthusiastic sometimes. I'm always grateful for the chance to hear things - gives you a more 'rounded' view of value for money and what actually is good. I'm a willing learner!! I don't particularly enjoy Christmas either. It's better with a young kid but so damned expensive and just too much over indulgence does me in. I'm always glad when it's over too. The gardener here had a whale of a time with parcels today. The wife had contact lenses signed for by him. Then another van with some books for my girl and then the amp. It was quite funny - I got home and he was gasping away about 'all these vans comin' up 'ere and I 'ad to sign fer everthin'!!' I asked him to put a Santa's hat on and sit by my door tomorrow!! He's a nice guy and got a rather nice motor bike. The weight of the amp really surprised me. It's a very solid piece of kit to say the least. It feels like quality when you hold it. Plus that rather nice power supply. Very nice. It's quite funny. I just posted John's DAC32 off today which is a tremendous listen with digital files and now the S2 is here. All go innit? I'll give it a real warm up over tomorrow since it arrived very cold. It was -5C here last night and I suspect it was laying in a van having its gonads frozen. I must say thought, you were right - it is impressive.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2012 22:41:17 GMT
The S2 has warmed up nicely now and it feels less like a fridge. It has definitely come on song as well. The sound has altered since yesterday's switch on. I have no idea what has changed except the components are warmer since it's been left on for a day or whether the temperature affects other things along the chain somewhere but it has become mellow and seems to deliver more weight. Another great match for the K601. It delivers a rock solid bass even with a 601. The more I use this headphone with different combos, the more I realise that the AKG's are extremely fussy about what is being fed into them. When they get a match, they are really quite awesome sounding. The Panda was one of the best matches I could find with a K701 and it is fantastic with the warmer 601. This amp does the same. I reckon same league, easily. It's now delivering real authority into the bass regions in particular and is more evenly balanced between top and bottom frequencies. It seems to have a naturalness to its sound rather than emphasis in any area. The first Aune SS amp I got has a slightly warmed up top but this one is more even imo up into the treble and it has a lovely slam in the bass. Listening to Santana reveals a very present kick drum through this amp which balances really well with the bass guitar. Some lovely mixing going on in the bass area which is revealed through this. I'm not absolutely sure yet, but I also get the feeling that the music is kind of 'closer' to you which gives it this really natural sounding tone. This is another lovely sounding amp from Aune. The build is fantastic. I have never seen such a solid amp before. (Apart from the world war III build that Mike did for me on the Panda) You get the feeling that if you actually dropped it, it would easily survive. It's heavy and gives you a sense of confidence in its design. I love the fact that it has two inputs to select from. The power supply is terrific. I can't resist Aune stuff. It's SO nice. The original ss amp is extremely good, the T1 is a lovely amp and this one is a cracker of an amp. I think this is worth having. It has a natural warmth/weight in its sound with some really excellent inner clarity too. Not sure yet what this sells for. I've kept closed eyes because I like to keep an open mind when listening. To my ears, it's easily matching the MF V8 with a massive Pinkie and that wasn't exactly a cheap amp. I have a feeling I'm going to look this up and find £300 - £350. That's the kind of 'feel' I get for its sound. I won't look for one yet. I'd rather keep listening without knowing, but it could be an expensive amp imo. The build certainly suggests that (with that power supply) and the sound is also up there with the good stuff. I haven't done a customary noise check yet. I always like to check for hiss and hum with lower impedance/easier to drive headphones, but I'm having a lot of pleasure from the luxurious sound that I'm getting from a K601. These headphones are a bargain as long as you pair them with an amp man enough to boot out real power. The S2 makes the K601 sing loud and proud with a bass that's spot on. Someone is going to give me a shock and print a massive price now ......
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Post by Deleted on Dec 13, 2012 22:52:50 GMT
Oh ... just noticed with Santana's track 'Since Supernatural' from Shaman. There are some lovely 'power' guitar chords with the bass accompanying the vocals (like they do in heavy metal) and you can easily hear that the guitar sound has been compressed but other sounds haven't so although the chords are powerful, they are kind of 'contained'. Takes a clean set up to detect this.
It adds a punch to the chords without being too loud. (Sorry getting bit techy)
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ronzo56
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Post by ronzo56 on Dec 14, 2012 1:43:02 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2012 9:34:39 GMT
Oh oh ...... is it a lot dearer. It sounds like a very good amplifier plus the build is unbelievably good. My gut feeling is that it has the kind of sound that doesn't shout in any one particular area of the spectrum. It feels pretty flat and it kind of brings the sound of the music slightly closer. I'm tempted to look now!!! If it's cheaper, I may get one I think!!
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Post by freddypipsqueek on Dec 14, 2012 12:41:19 GMT
They are available on ebay - slightly less than £250.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2012 15:27:07 GMT
The original price was $369? I'm not too far off. The Ebay offer at £250 is good, I'd say for the quality of this amp. It has an amazing build.
I feel that it's a good price for a solid performer like this. It holds its own against a V8 which you'd pay more for with a decent power supply rather than the silly one they give you with it.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Dec 14, 2012 22:57:31 GMT
The original price was $369? I'm not too far off. The Ebay offer at £250 is good, I'd say for the quality of this amp. It has an amazing build. I feel that it's a good price for a solid performer like this. It holds its own against a V8 which you'd pay more for with a decent power supply rather than the silly one they give you with it. I agree Ian. £245 is Zilch for what you get.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2012 23:21:51 GMT
The original price was $369? I'm not too far off. The Ebay offer at £250 is good, I'd say for the quality of this amp. It has an amazing build. I feel that it's a good price for a solid performer like this. It holds its own against a V8 which you'd pay more for with a decent power supply rather than the silly one they give you with it. I agree Ian. £245 is Zilch for what you get. Mike I agree that, at the lower quoted price it would appear to be ideal for someone who isn't into DIY, but wants the best possible commercial amplifier at a reasonable price.It also looks good !!! Have you had a chance yet to do a proper comparison with the DIY version ? Perhaps I missed the answer, but someone asked if it was possible to easily change the output resistor value to better suit different headphones. Kind Regards Alex
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ronzo56
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Post by ronzo56 on Dec 15, 2012 2:43:56 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2012 10:20:30 GMT
At that price, it' s a bargain for the sound you get with it and the quality of the build, Ron. To get it to the UK, we' d have to add postage And import tax which is a pity so the EBay deal is really good. Alex, my Panda is tucked in a cupboard, but I think that it sounds slightly warmer than the S2. When I get some time, I' 'll get it out. Mine has a minor hum with headphones that produce big bass. The S2 has a clean sound that still retains a lovely warmth with a hard hitting bass but it has this really clean delivery. I've tried it now with the K550 which have low impedance and there are no issues with noise. In fact the K550 also sounds very good from it. It has a very engaging sound, very similar to the first Panda but seems very open in the treble without sounding harsh. I keep hearing such good amps that I'm beginning to wonder whether there are any mingers around any more!! It seems to be more a question of fine differences and quality of build. I do think that if this had been a British amp, it would have retailed for double and we would still feel that it's a good value amp. There seems to be a quality and sound about it that suggests 'expensive.' It also makes the see through single valve amps sound quite poor by comparison. They seem more coloured. (and lacking in extension) Anyway, it's a good ' un and one that I think I might add to my museum, except it'll get a lot of use rather than be pulled out for comparisons.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2012 10:29:56 GMT
Ian It's a shame that the timing didn't coincide with the JKDAC. You could have been in for a real treat. Regards Alex
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2012 11:46:33 GMT
Ian It's a shame that the timing didn't coincide with the JKDAC. You could have been in for a real treat. Regards Alex It is, Alex. The DAC32 was stunning and I used it so much while it was here. It seemed to improve anything digital that I put through it! I miss it already. This amp has a real 'quality' about it and it's one of the few that deliver proper bass into the K601. There's something about that headphone that can make it sound mean and thin until it gets fed a different signal and suddenly it seems to just take off. The funny thing about that is, other headphones don't do the same thing. On a good quality signal, the K601 really blossoms but sounds quite dull and boring on lesser signals, while other headphones that I have reach a happy medium with most stuff and don't REALLY take off. The K601 seems to know when it has a good bit of power behind it and the dynamic range and bass in particular just shine. The S2 makes the K601 absolutely shine. I always used to be very skeptical about the K701 and people claiming that the amp needed changing in order to make it sound good. My K701 has long gone now, but I have a feeling that it is actually true. The Panda worked best for me with the 701 but recently, the DAC32 really pulled the standard up and this amp is doing similar things. Put the two together and ........ I did put the DAC into the first Panda actually and it was indeed, beautiful. The S2 is similar in tone actually, to the DAC. They both just seem more 'natural' and less 'forceful' in any particular area. You know how say, a NAD amp sounds heavyish and warm. You instantly notice a bias towards mid bass (which many like). Same with Cyrus except up into the top end. Naim gear can also produce a healthy screech with what I named (a long time ago) a 'belchy' bass. The kind of bass where you hear quite a lot of the 'twang' in a bass guitar string. If you listen to YES on a Naim amp, you really hear that 'twanging' bass with the lower 'belch'!!! The S2 goes down into the bass with real authority and delivers a really good quantity into the K601 (Which seems hard to do). However, it's not overblown on the Senn HD650!! That skew in the sound that you can hear in NADS or Cyrus or whatever, doesn't seem to be there. It seems quite even and so sounds more natural. I'm not being funny when I say that if you have a recording that is flat and lacks dynamics, you're going to notice since this amp will produce what he sees - a flat signal that lacks dynamic. It won't superimpose anything big in order to colour the sound up. I think that's what I'm getting from the S2. It is a natural listen BECAUSE it doesn't have a big skew in any particular area. If anything, it may be slightly warmish sounding but it's still very extended. There is definitely something about Aune gear that really clicks with me. Maybe the tech guys there have similar ears to me? It just sounds 'right'. The earlier ss amp that I have is also a lovely listen, but softer in the treble. I'm sure that can be altered with op amps that I know people were playing around with when it came out, but mine is still a standard (as sold) amp. The S2 is more on the ball than the early amp and imo is very similar to the Panda. I'm talking myself into getting one now!!!
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mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Dec 15, 2012 11:49:41 GMT
At $300 USD w/ S&H I am starting to get interested. Has anyone compared the S2 against the highly modified Jaycar or an X-Can V2?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2012 12:04:19 GMT
At $300 USD w/ S&H I am starting to get interested. Has anyone compared the S2 against the highly modified Jaycar or an X-Can V2? I've never heard the Jaycar, Miguel. Wish I had after reading about it here!! As far as the V2 goes, I think it's probably better. It has a solidity in its sound that makes it 'seem' a tad less brash (although that could be the tubes) but it still goes up into the treble really nicely. If anything is going to highlight a harsh treble, the K601 will and I can listen to the S2 on them loud, with no problem. It's a musical listen. Not clinical. The V2 is the same. I really like both tbh. The S2 also holds its own against the V8 and mine has been heavily looked at by Mike and has his deluxe version of the Little Pinkie on it. The amp comes with a very solid power supply. My first thoughts always go to the Little Pinkie with all amps after hearing how one made my V2 take off. With this amp, the power supply looks like it means business and my guess is that it's really not a cheap supply that sometimes comes with amps. The more I talk about this amp, the more I talk myself into getting one!!! Stop!!!! For me, it's the price level matched with the quality build and sound. It's at a good price point for what you get. I know it would be cheaper to build as a kit, but I'd need 5 kits before I got it right. (At least I'm honest ) Or I know my limitations. I don't particularly like to pit one amp against another since one can do one thing right and another something else. Then you also get people who will incessantly ask how does it compare to ....... and you end up just lining them up to compare instead of finding what an amp does really well. It has a more solid case than a V8. Lovely smooth vol pot. Lovely finish. Great tone and attack. It all just amounts to what I feel is an expensive amp selling at less than I would have thought. I wonder if we could get 10 as a bulko and get them out to RG people at an even better price? I'd recommend them to be sure!!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2012 12:08:49 GMT
At $300 USD w/ S&H I am starting to get interested. Has anyone compared the S2 against the highly modified Jaycar or an X-Can V2? Hi Miguel As good as the Jaycar was at the time, I would expect this one to outperform it,provided that you can change the output resistors to suit the headphones if necessary. Against the Class A HA, I would expect it to be the other way around, as the Class A HA is a no holds barred design with 2 separate power transformers, a separate PSU PCB for each channel, and individual JLHs for each channel. Regards Alex
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2012 14:19:38 GMT
I guess the Class A HA is a DIYer Alex?
I forgot that the S2 is a Class A. Ever since I tried that little Chinese Class A amp a while ago now, I've really liked them. They do deliver a punch in comparison to many other amps.
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Will
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Post by Will on Dec 15, 2012 14:44:56 GMT
I guess the Class A HA is a DIYer Alex? I forgot that the S2 is a Class A. Ever since I tried that little Chinese Class A amp a while ago now, I've really liked them. They do deliver a punch in comparison to many other amps. Hi Ian, Yep the Class A Ha is a DIYer, and would probably cost more to put together than the Aune, all in. Mind you, it might be worth it as it manages to make my K701's sound good! (yes, it's THAT good )
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2012 15:08:13 GMT
That's what I'm curious about now I haven't got the K701!! So many people went on about amping and it was that one in particular, I did battle with for a long time and could never settle with. I just couldn't get on with what I felt was a lack of quantity of bass and a shrill top. The K601 is much the same but has slightly less edge but the bass appears big time on certain amps and not others. It offsets the top and the whole thing becomes more focused. They can be drastic on a poor amp and yet so brilliant on a good one. Now I have a feeling that it's also true for the K701. I just never found the right amp. Closest for me was the Panda. The S2 makes it sing nicely and yet my other headphones remain pretty similar with most amps. The K601 in particular seems to grow so as well as being detested at times, it's my favourite headphone along with the D2000!!! How kinky is that?
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ronzo56
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Post by ronzo56 on Dec 15, 2012 16:40:45 GMT
$300 USD does sound like a very good deal, but it is a holiday price, so it may go back up soon. The original price on eBay back when Mike first said it was coming was $399. Sorry about the import tax. Thanks for the very good description Ian. You are talking both of us into adding it to our collections. My other problem now is I still have my K701 and I am really curious to see how it would sound with the S2. I only have one amp that it works well with and even then I am not completely happy with the bass. Keep talking yourself into it Ian, I still need more encouragement. And some money. ;D Ron
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2012 17:07:05 GMT
Terrible isn't it? I'm here talking about an amp and I'm actually talking myself into getting one. 21st Century Schizoid Man. (King Crimson) It's bad enough that the DAC32 has gone. It's like landing without a parachute. One comparison that is BOUND to come up:- T1/S2. This comparison is interesting in that the T1 is such amazing value; even by comparing the two. Using the same source, they are close. (as it always is with amps) At first, you would feel they are similar, but on close listening, you can hear one of the benefits of a good supply. The bass on the S2 is quicker and slightly harder hitting. On what I was listening to, it wasn't going particularly any deeper but it was hitting fast on the attack and then disappearing faster than on the T1. So it's a slightly cleaner bass. It has more presence in the top end than the T1. I'd say, more focused. Again, slightly harder hitting. However, the overall sound sigs are quite similar, so the T1 is a real bargain, but the S2 has an improved sound. It seems more extended both ways and has a sharpness in attack that the T1 doesn't show as much of. That has the effect of making the amp have a certain immediacy that the T1 doesn't have quite the same amount of. That may be why I felt that the S2 brings the music 'closer' to you in my earlier post. However, it goes to show what terrific value the T1 is and I still think that the S2 is a lot of amp for your money. Makes you wonder - is Aune developing a 'house sound'? The same ears have developed both? There is a similarity but the S2 has had a Windolene effect done on it. It's cleaner sounding. This is a really nice amp. If I had to choose between one or the other, I'd say that would depend on your finances. I'd be happy with a T1 (as I am) since it is remarkable value for the sound you get. However, the S2 has a quality about it that says ...... good!! Build and sound are super and if finance isn't a worry, I'd go for an S2 straight away. So it depends on your outlook I guess; a) Fantastic value but slightly less in terms of quality of sound. b) Great sound and build for 2 to 3 times the price? My gut instinct is S2. Then again, I liked John's DAC32 and it had to be more expensive than the other one I had from him!!!! As Alex said, I should have put the DAC and the S2 together. Total cost £750 but what a sound. (Plus a headphone and source)
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Post by PinkFloyd on Dec 15, 2012 18:23:53 GMT
There's another thing that makes the T1 EVEN greater value Ian (and you forgot to mention it).......... it also has a DAC!
If using computer as source you will need a seperate DAC for the S2..... not so with the T1, just plug it into the USB port and you've got both DAC and amp.
The S2 will probably give better performance if partnered with a good quality DAC but then you're looking at spending a bit more money.
If you are using CD as source then, yes, the S2 will have the windolene effect over the T1.
The T1 is an all in one, ready to go DAC / amp (and a bloody good one at that).... the S2 is a standalone amp.
What source are you using your S2 with Ian?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2012 20:30:49 GMT
CD player, Mike.
Of course, I forgot that the T1 does two jobs. So easy to forget because it's simple to use. As you say, plug and play. Easy to take for granted and the sac part works better than the sac on the v8'.
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