Your Custom Text Here
This article from a few years ago shook up the headphone world. For years, writers like me had argued and argued that amp makers should pay attention to output impedance, but for the most part, our entreaties fell on deaf ears. In forums, impedance preachers were derided as not listening to amps, but listening to spec. Until this dude came along and set things straight.
The headphone world is vastly different now.
God bless you, NwAvGuy.
I totally dig the AlogoRythm DUET and the Theorem 720, but if Cypher Labs could kick up the little something something they hint about on their Facebook page:
“What do you say guys.. Would you like to see a mini portable amp from us at #CypherLabs? A smaller version of the #duet maybe?”
well, shizzle my nizzle, I say.
First thing's first. And first things always are photographs. The DSD256-capable Zodiac Platinum has been in Ω's office and plugged into Ω's phones and mono amps for about a week. And it rocks. Dear God, it rocks. For now, pictures will have to suffice.
Even the remote is machined from aluminium and makes nice metallic clicky sounds when clicked. I digs it. But I didn't have time to go all-out with the photos, so these will have to suffice.
Looks like Portaphile's 627 Micro is coming along well. Portaphile maker, Cesar Aguilera, has some good news for fans of the brand, and some comparison photos showing off the small-is-beautiful character of 627 Micro.
“The little guy is progressing along just great. I just finished the first panel and will building out the first circuit boards this weekend. As long as it all goes, I hope to be finished sooner than the dead line of March 25th, 2014. Here are a few pics of the first panel in bare aluminum. Once the boards are done I will be able to make sure all holes are aligned and can move forward with building out a few more and then sending out the finished panels to get annodized in black. I also need to find some nice hex head screws to give it a nicer look.”
Stay up to date on all things Portaphile at... Portaphile!
Headfonia's Lieven has some good stuff to say about the Beyerdynamic A20, including news that will make headphone and earphone lovers rejoice.
“The A20 is not really supposed to be used with custom IEMs but while I’m at it I’ll just add them to the list. The Cosmic Ears BA4 is dead silent when connected and there is no hiss and no channel imbalance. Be careful with the volume dial however cause it will get loud fast.”
It seems that more and more home headphone amp makers are designing circuits that accommodate earphone listeners. Antelope Audio's Zodiac is another that, at least from a volume balance/noise perspective, very well with sensitive earphones.
Lieven concludes:
“what’s not to like? Mid-Fi doesn’t get any better than this.”
The one gotcha is that the A20's output impedance is high, which may render the output of certain low Ω headphones (even some Beyerdynamic) subject to aberrations in frequency response, stereo performance, among others. At least the noise floor is low.
Portaphile fans, the new 627 MICRO headphone amp is up for pre-order at 399$ USD.
Solo. BAM! Theorem 720. BAM! Now, BAM! DUET, a portable headphone amp with no DAC strings attached. It’s one of those handy few do-alls that does all like nobody’s business. BAM!
Read more
Mike's upped a review of the Fostex HP-A4 USB headphone/DAC about which I briefly wrote at the end of 2013. I didn't really get a chance to listen to it for more than a few minutes, but my opinions reflect Mike's rather well. He concludes:
“While I don’t really care about DSD or 24/192 capabilities, at the end I just can’t help being excited about a box that plays everything I throw at it pretty good. Just about the most perfect balance of technicalities and musicality I’ve seen south of $1000. It has the sound stage, the depth, resolution, separation, but it manages to be so musically involving and toe-tapping. I wanted to say that the HP-A4 has re-set the bar on the $500 USB DAC/Amp but it’s such a cliche statement. Perhaps you the reader can help me with a closing statement.”
Ω may take a longer look at it in the future with the proviso that readers understand that Fostex are one of Ω's recently acquired clients.
Just log in to your Facebook account and shed a bit of privacy. A couple of clicks later and, luck's your lady. Giveaway details are here. Like Cypher Labs' Facebook page for the latest news.
Despite being published 12 days ago, Ω missed this excellent writeup. Overall, Headfonia agrees with Ω: DUET is a fabulous amp for IEMs. Our opinions divaricate on the point of DUET's performance with headphones. This is Headfonia's take:
“So in case you are wondering: overall the Duet is not the same sounding as the recently released resolving, spacious and dynamic Theorem. Yes the Duet is quiet and doesn’t have any minor issues and if you want a very clear sound and bass and mid range focus and can live with the smaller sound, the Duet is for you. For IEMs the choice is easy, the strong points of the Duet make your IEM extra good as most of the better monitors aren’t necessarily tuned with a focus on bass. For full size headphones the Duet can be a great match if your headphone can use a bit of bass and mid range focus.”
The Theorem 720 has a sound signature that more closely resembles the ALO Rx MKIII-B+. For any number of earphones/headphones, that is a good thing. It is muscular and detailed. But so is the DUET. In fact, the DUET sports a lower noise floor and slightly better stereo image when driving high-current loads. That makes it a better amp for both your Audeze headphones and your low-Ω IEMs.
Ω's review is coming soon. While it will ooze sincerity, it will be almost complete ohmage. This is Cypher Labs' first nearly flawless product. 720 may have amazed me with its resolution and stand-up stereo image, but DUET sacrifices very little in delivering better across-the-board performance in addition to better management of circuit noise.
Effusive though the above paragraph may be, I believe it is important to point out that performance-wise, DUET has no Cypher Labs equal. Sound reviews are, by nature, subjective. Actual performance isn't.
Tsukuba, Japan
