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Headphones sound harsh with Reflex-M, suggestions? |
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DT999
Regular Joined: 07 Jan 2020 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 95 |
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Thanks Ash I have read through a lot of your posts and know you have a lot of knowledge regarding headphones so I appreciate your input. I think I will definitely be starting by trying a GSP headphone amp on the loaner program to see how that works.
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Rega Planar 3 > Accession MM / Thorens TD160 > Reflex M > Modwright LS100 tube preamp > Solo ULDE / Proprius > Monitor Audio Silver 500 / 2 x SVS SB1000 subwoofers
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Ash
Senior Member Joined: 18 Mar 2013 Location: Dorset Status: Offline Points: 4334 |
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Depending on your budget, choice of headphone and on the practicality, I would recommend the Proprius monoblocks as a dual-purpose amplifier for your speakers or headphone. Some headphones can be adapted to be a suitable load for driving from these speakers amps, either by considering their standard impedance/sensitivity ratings or a change of cable terminations/impedance. Maybe a good investment as you can get more out of less. I use my Proprius for driving speakers or headphones. If you are sensible with dial positions, no problems with noise floor or equipment damage. Can't have them them connected at the same time though.
Edited by Ash - 01 Apr 2020 at 9:23pm |
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CageyH
Senior Member Joined: 30 Apr 2012 Location: Toulouse, Franc Status: Offline Points: 1678 |
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surely a headphone amp is more than suited to the headphones Derek has?
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Kevin
European loan coordinator, based near Toulouse, France. |
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DT999
Regular Joined: 07 Jan 2020 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 95 |
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Thanks both, I don't want to go down the path of changing my main amp, which I am happy with after much auditioning and which is improved with the Reflex phono stage.
As I do only use headphones occasionally I don't really want to mess around with switching amps over between speakers and headphones etc.
The ULDE seems to be the way to go as it appears to drive a range of headphones and is purported to have a 'tubey' sound which may well help tame the highs causing the problem. |
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Rega Planar 3 > Accession MM / Thorens TD160 > Reflex M > Modwright LS100 tube preamp > Solo ULDE / Proprius > Monitor Audio Silver 500 / 2 x SVS SB1000 subwoofers
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Ash
Senior Member Joined: 18 Mar 2013 Location: Dorset Status: Offline Points: 4334 |
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The Solo ULDE is a very competent headphone amplifier and allows simple unbalanced/single-ended connection of a very wide range of headphone impedances and sensitivities. At half the price of my above suggestion/consideration, it probably makes more sense both ergonomically and economically to select the Solo.
AKG K1000 from Solo UL vs K1000 from Proprius pair and I could not tell the amplification quality apart (when the headphone drivers were only half opened out so power availability was not a limiting factor). Both Slee products were equally capable and unsignatured in that application and I could not recommend either of them more highly. My current headphone is 15 Ohms and 96 dB/mW. I have a resistive cable that increases impedance to 110 Ohms with a slight drop in sensitivity. I also have a resistive/potential-divider cable I use with it that alters it to roughly 120 Ohms and 74 dB/mW (equivalent load to K1000) so I can adjust it to whatever amplifier I have available to drive it with.
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Sounder 905
New Member Joined: 21 Dec 2012 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 25 |
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Hello everyone..
It's been a long, long while since I've been active around here. Not knowing if or when (or where) I'd chime in so here's as good as any as I see fit. [partial quote]
It's a very exicting prospect. Far as I'm concerned, Graham's been 'telling the proverbial, musical, electrical (and audio design) engineering truth' for a while now. Understatement. The sheer musical performance and quality craftsmanship of all his company's products provide no reason to stop doing so now; BUT I wouldn't necessarily cast my vote towards "smooth the corners" either. To these ears the 'valvee' essence of the Ultra Linear has less in common with the syrupy, mushy, boomy, rolled-off sound of tubes so prevalent in those '70's home-fi' stigmatic traits - and more in common with the sublime qualities of sweetness, clarity, lack of fatigue, clout (the kind you can garner enjoyment out of even in low volumes), sound-stage imagery and yes, with the extra linear performance and its accompanying upper and lower frequency extension prevalent in only the most hefty and expensive of tube rigs... (catches breath) ..That being said, I remember reading a post years back on the forum where Graham described the differences between the original Solo Ultra Linear and the current Diamond Edition and made an analogy to its low-level hiss at higher volume levels to the sound of amplifiers 'humming at idle' warming up and ready to rock at a live venue.. Where I cast my vote ; ) whatever that means, I follow my goosebumps. My opinion is the prevalence of high-sensitivity IEM's tailored for mobile use and it's accompanying user demand brought about the advent of the DE. I love mine, but also feel that all things being subject to tradeoffs (laws of physics, no free lunch et al.) I would dig it if a new head amp design went more in the direction of the original Ultra Linear (if such a tradeoff had to be made ostensibly in the pursuit of sonic traits). Admittedly I never heard one of the original units, maybe I'm totally off and something akin to the innovations that went into the Accession's design will roll over into the headphone amp. I apologize for the unbridled enthusiasm if it constituted a slight hijack of the thread.. I hope everyone here, and your families, have all have been safe and healthy with your financial heads above the water in these troubled times. Time to push back against this tide of confusion.. Edited by Sounder 905 - 31 Jul 2020 at 2:04pm |
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capetownwatches
Regular Joined: 08 May 2019 Location: Cape Town, RSA Status: Offline Points: 61 |
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Nice post Sounder.
I have an original Ultra Linear and in my opinion it has the most "organic" presentation of any solid state headphone amp I have heard. And I have heard more than a few... About that hiss...the first time I plugged in my 25 Ohm Fostex I was a bit taken aback as I had never heard anything like it in any other amp, even my tube amps are almost totally silent at idle. The hiss was constant regardless of volume pot position. And of course the instant any music began to play it became a non-issue and after a while I couldn't even notice it. Not even a trade off for the wonderful quality of the amp. Plug in a headphone of higher impedance like the 150 ohm HD58x or HD650 at 300 ohm and there is zero hiss. I haven't had the pleasure of hearing the current DE (buggers won't send a loaner to SA - must think it's darkest Africa down here...) but if I interpret Graham's post referred to above correctly, he seems to prefer the original UL regardless of the upgraded output stage of the current model, which was by his own admission a response to the demand for lower noise with IEMs from our friends in the East. And came with certain compromises in order to achieve that minus 10-odd dB. Whatever the case, I love my UL and hope to have it until one of us no longer functions. |
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Solo UL=Kingrex HQ1=NFB11.32=LD Mkll=SRM353X=DAC1 USB=RL Concero
LCD2F=HD6XX=SR-L500=DT990 600Ω=TH-X00=K612Pro=K240S=Y50 KRK Rokit 6=Mogami/Sommer->Neutrik/Amphenol |
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