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Post by bjoern on Apr 17, 2010 8:27:16 GMT
Hi all!
I got a Pinkie and new russian tubes from Mike yesterday. Thanks a lot! I replaced the Teslas and plugged in the Pinkie, all worked fine. But, there is a noise in the left channel when I touch the cable, chassis, table or just about anything that is in contact with the V8. It is like hitting a string or something. Very annoying...
What is that? Can I do something about it or is one of the valves faulty?
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Post by PinkFloyd on Apr 17, 2010 9:45:02 GMT
Hi all! I got a Pinkie and new russian tubes from Mike yesterday. Thanks a lot! I replaced the Teslas and plugged in the Pinkie, all worked fine. But, there is a noise in the left channel when I touch the cable, chassis, table or just about anything that is in contact with the V8. It is like hitting a string or something. Very annoying... What is that? Can I do something about it or is one of the valves faulty? Hi Bjoern, Sounds like one of the valves is microphonic.... I will send you another pair, please PM me your details. All the best, Mike. |
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Post by krisno on Apr 18, 2010 10:09:40 GMT
HOW DOES IT SOUND - THE RUSSIANS VS THE TESLA???
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Post by bjoern on Apr 18, 2010 21:44:04 GMT
HOW DOES IT SOUND - THE RUSSIANS VS THE TESLA??? I had a very quick listen, and got so focused on this microphonic problem, so a deeper analysis will have to wait. But first impression is that the 6H23N are more masculine, with more attack but also a bit rougher. I will wait for the replacement pair (thank you Mike!) before saying anything firther about the sound. It´s been a busy weekend and much work the upcoming week, so the wait will hopefully go easy. They glow nicely though...  |
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Post by krisno on Apr 20, 2010 16:06:00 GMT
Bjørn. what phones you use
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Post by bjoern on Apr 20, 2010 16:43:38 GMT
Bjørn. what phones you use Sennheiser HD 800. What I was after was some more attack and muscle, so to speak. As Mike mentioned in his V8P thread, the V8 is a bit lightweight. The combo V8 and HD 800 goes deep, no problem, but the energy seems to be lacking somewhat. |
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Post by krisno on Apr 20, 2010 20:03:01 GMT
Yes, there are lack of details in V8... it is just too lush. That was my problem with it also.. V3 has more attack... but the most attack comes from the modded V2.
the best match for your HD 800 is solid state Lehmann. Sennheiser used it as referanse. Reviews say they match in heaven. Get the clone, I dont remember the name of it. Damn... there is a pure lehmann clone out , exact same components. Try it with your Senn hd 800. The V8 is not good enough for it..
K
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Post by krisno on Apr 20, 2010 20:06:16 GMT
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Post by PinkFloyd on Apr 20, 2010 20:51:54 GMT
Kris,
The V8 is "technically" perfect in it's presentation.... neutral, everything integrated perfectly.... no one frequency overwhelms the other.... it is wonderfully balanced.... this is VERY much the Musical Fidelity "high end" sound converted to a headphone amp.
I personally don't like it, I have always found their expensive systems to sound "lightweight" and pretty pedestrian.... almost as if someone had sucked the soul out of the music. Some people LOVE this type of presentation and claim it's how real music should sound with "neutral" being a much quoted word......
I prefer a bit of BALLS myself, a bit of energy.... the V8P is just too polite for my ears..... I prefer to eat raw sugar cane, you lose the taste once it is refined.... the V8P, to my ears, sounds overly refined....
Having said that, the "detail" is stunning if you live in the midrange.... probably the best midrange detail I have heard from any headphone amp.
With the HD-600 it lifts the veil and presents everything that's on the disc into your ears..... it doesn't have a built in "loudness button" that adds bass, just for the sake of adding bass and it is not coloured in any way, shape or form.
I think you either love it or loathe it.... the marketing would have you believe it's a POWERHOUSE, the "V8" makes you think of a powerful, meaty, engine...... sure, it will drive almost ANY headphone but the presentation will be more akin to Rogers LS35A monitors than CERWIN VEGA bassmeisters....
For sheer "quality" of sound the V8 is hard to beat.... if you require "quantity" you will have to look elsewhere.
Mike.
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Post by krisno on Apr 20, 2010 21:20:58 GMT
I agree with you on that natural part. It is very natural. No frequency spectrum is over exposed. It sounds like music sounds in real life. You are correct! I guess it sounds more like a full tubeamp, like the little british one which costs a fortune. Forgot the name of it. Very small.
But I am saying, if he wants attack - go for the V2. But I would not use a tube amp with the very expensive HD 800. Use solidstate to get more details.
K
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Post by bjoern on Apr 20, 2010 21:32:09 GMT
Kris, as always it's a matter of personal taste, and maybe mine is odd... I tried the HD800 with Lehmann and didn't like it. Sterile and lifeless. I did it just after having listened to the HD800 and DNA Sonett (tubeamp). I can tell you that that combination is a match made in heaven and the sole reason I went for the HD800. The best headphone combo I have heard, simple as that. Well, the V8 is in da house since my days with K701 and I find it somewhat fun and exciting to see if I can improve the sound or at least experimenting a bit to see what happens if I do this or that. Any hints or tips to add to the discussion are of course welcome  |
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Post by PinkFloyd on Apr 20, 2010 21:33:22 GMT
It sounds like music sounds in real life. You are correct! I guess it sounds more like a full tubeamp, like the little british one which costs a fortune. Forgot the name of it. Very small. The Earmax.  Absolute TURD compared to the V8 |
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Post by bjoern on Apr 20, 2010 21:42:07 GMT
It sounds like music sounds in real life. You are correct! I guess it sounds more like a full tubeamp, like the little british one which costs a fortune. Forgot the name of it. Very small. Absolute TURD compared to the V8 Being non-british I just had to check the Urban Dictionary for that word... "Generally, a log-shaped piece of shit. Nevertheless, they are also found in coil-shape, mushroom-cloud shape, and even loch ness monster shape." Is that what you mean?  Edit: Oh, and this might be familiar: Unpublished Pink Floyd song: All in all your just/ another turd in the toilet |
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Post by krisno on Apr 21, 2010 13:11:51 GMT
of course solid state is flatter and more lifeless. But it is also more accurate and linear. Better dynamics and alot more controlled bass. IT is also more detailed. Solis state can also be warm if done properly.
Tubes has mid range magic and realism, but everything else is worse, in my not so humble opinion. Its nice that you tried with LEhmann. I havent tried it with Senn but I read reviews that says its the best... if you did it via the Yulong i am no wonder you are dissapointed though.
K
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Post by krisno on Apr 21, 2010 13:50:05 GMT
Yes that small one is the one i meant. have you heard it mike?
The v8 is boring. no fun.... The V2 is much better, BUT the sound is not as realistic. The V8 is more natural and realistic sounding.
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Post by bjoern on Apr 21, 2010 14:35:19 GMT
of course solid state is flatter and more lifeless. But it is also more accurate and linear. Better dynamics and alot more controlled bass. IT is also more detailed. Solis state can also be warm if done properly. Tubes has mid range magic and realism, but everything else is worse, in my not so humble opinion. Its nice that you tried with LEhmann. I havent tried it with Senn but I read reviews that says its the best... if you did it via the Yulong i am no wonder you are dissapointed though. K Fair enough, not so humble opinions are also OK Maybe there is such a "general rule". And maybe I should try that clone someday (seriously), and maybe I will have that reviewer's ears that day. But nevertheless, the Sonett kicked arse, in every aspect. To my ears the combo had power, control, dynamics, detail, p.r.a.t.... with the result that I just sat there, putting on record after record with a smile threatening to chop off the upper half of my head But, for now I will try the V8 with the russian 6H23N. Then I will probably do something else. Great hobby! I'm sorry, what Yulong? |
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Post by krisno on Apr 21, 2010 15:38:08 GMT
I think your Sennheiser HD 800 deserves nothing but the best solid state amp you can find. Lehmann is opamp 2134 based. Old technology.
If you want best of tubes and SS .. go for nothing but the Burson HA 160. It is quite cheap also. Fully discreete..
I would pair the HD 800 with nothing else than the Burson amp. There is one now on sale on head-fi. I have had it, it is excellent.. extremly wide, very detailed and lush.
you see - the tube itself is the bottleneck. I think HD 800 deserves something better.
But you do as you wish. burson has return policy also.
(and dont forget, a good source....)
kristian
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Spirit
Been here a while! 
That's where I'm gonna go when I die
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Post by Spirit on Apr 21, 2010 16:18:09 GMT
What source are you using bjoern? Are you into DIY at all? and finally, in what country do you reside? (yes, there's a good reason for this question  ) |
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Post by bjoern on Apr 21, 2010 17:46:24 GMT
Thank you Kristian for the input on the Burson. I will keep that option in the back of my head for later. Unfortunately there is little chance to get to try different amps here in (now I answer Spirits question, and I have to update my forum profile) Sweden. There are a few enthusiast's shops and a small second hand market, but otherwise what you can do is to just read other peoples opinions and take a chance and buy something hopefully good from abroad.
Maybe it's not important, but what did you mean with Yulong. Is it that phone? (Again I blame the small swedish market... ;D )
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Post by krisno on Apr 21, 2010 17:58:57 GMT
I am from Norway, so dont you worry.
Yulong Dah1 mark . Its a clone of lehmann, except its not a proper clone. The matrix is a 100% clone....
No dont tank for input - just get it! Your HD 800 DESERVES NOTHING ELSE !!! A tube will never cut it, and the burson is the most tube like solidstate you ever will hear. I would never pair a Senn HD 800 with anything else.
K
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2010 6:59:58 GMT
Mike's description of the V8 is spot on. It is very 'neutral' sounding. It has bass which is 'polite' whereas the V2 kind of 'socks it to you.'
There was some discussion about modding V8's which I believe is a bit hairy due to bits being glued in but I'm sure someone here has modded one quite extensively and maybe for the very reason that you are saying at the start of this thread,
I must admit, my V2 gets much more playing than the v8 but the v8 does help to lift the Senn HD650 and so they're not actually a bad match.
Mike is also correct when he describes the Earmax and a 'wee jobby.' It's not all it's cracked up to be imo.
I wonder whether it's worth investigating some modding to the V8 once you've tried the valves? The difference in my V2 was enormous pre and post (second) mods. (I've never heard a straight V2) The difference was dramatic and I thought it was fine before!!
In all honesty, I would like a slightly more beefed up V8 too. It would get more use then. (Even if it is less accurate)
Ian
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2010 8:35:05 GMT
Ian
Often bigger supply rail capacitors help in that respect.
Mike more than likely either has, or can recommend some suitable types that will fit. You are then unlikely to lose accuracy as a tradeoff.
Alex
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Post by PinkFloyd on Apr 23, 2010 9:41:16 GMT
Ian, I'll be going under the hood one of these days and will be starting a mod your V8 thread  |
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Post by bjoern on Apr 23, 2010 11:36:53 GMT
What source are you using bjoern? Are you into DIY at all? and finally, in what country do you reside? (yes, there's a good reason for this question ) At the moment I'm using my PC directly via USB. PC is so covenient since we have all our music on a server. The rest of the house is packed with Squeezeboxes, so all record players are long gone now. I never thought that would happen, but... When I find a good synergy between cans and amp, maybe I will focus on a DAC. I miss my Audio Synthesis...  No, I'm not into DIY. Not when it comes to electronics anyway, but I am a model builder, take care of my own house and work as a mechanical engineer, so I'm not afraid of doing things myself. Maybe I should get myself a soldering iron, it seems a lot of fun. And I live where the polar bears are walking the streets, in Sweden. |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2010 12:49:34 GMT
I find the usb sound on the V8 poor. It's much worse than the analogue input and does indeed sound thin. (ner)
Ian
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