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mrarroyo
Average Member
USA
556 Posts |
 Posted - 05/29/2007 : 17:07:22
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quote:
Originally posted by slwiser
Ok, second question in this series. What does that second cap do, the black upright one?
That I do not know. Sorry. |
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mrarroyo
Average Member
USA
556 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2007 : 17:10:54
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Dr. Xin, I received the replacement board today. Thanks.
I realize the board I receive has the light in the on/off switch, versus the change to a blue light you have incorporated. The question I have is if all the other changes (besides the blue light) are incorporated on the board you sent me. Or do I have to send it back. I loaned the amp to Vorlon1 (Rob) and I plan on picking up the amp tomorrow and install the new board, comments to follow. Thanks.
Miguel |
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goto2003
Average Member
626 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2007 : 07:07:07
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| To my suprise, the new RE sounds even more tube-alike than Micro right out of the box, big sound, period! |
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mrarroyo
Average Member
USA
556 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2007 : 09:34:42
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| Thanks goto2003. The new board I received does not have the smaller black cap that stuck straight up. Do you know what it used to do? Thanks. |
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saisunil
New Member
USA
56 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2007 : 13:10:46
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What I like about the RE amp is no opamp rolling as that hobby is so time consuming (can be confusing for most new people) and can take away from the joy of music. I'd believe that with products like RE, Dr. Xin can reach out to a wider customer base - in other words more audiophiles and music lovers can enjoy his products other than those who follow him. We need more audiophile quality plug and play products like that.
"Music is the reflection of your inner soul" -- Sathya Sai Baba |
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mrarroyo
Average Member
USA
556 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2007 : 14:52:03
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| New board has been installed. Sound is more tube like the Supermicro IV but with more bass punch and wider soundstage and IMO very nice detail/clarity. Of course burn in will tell the full story, and I guess we are 400 hours away from the full burn in. |
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ronfint
New Member
USA
67 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2007 : 18:19:35
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saisunil,
I really couldn't disagree more. Choice is good - not bad. For me, one of the most appealing aspects of the SM4 is the ability to try different opamps. I don't see why this would possibly have anything to do with whether or not I enjoy music. One needn't change opamps if he/she doesn't want to. The SM4 is 'plug and play'. On the other hand, it doesn't take much electronics ability to pop out an opamp and plug another one in.
By the way, after trying very many different opamps, I'm back to OPA128, and I still prefer it to all others. |
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U_kei2
Starting Member
4 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2007 : 01:53:38
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| Though i buy Xin Reference amp,Please send me a mail. |
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saisunil
New Member
USA
56 Posts |
Posted - 05/31/2007 : 15:55:19
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quote:
Originally posted by ronfint
saisunil,
I really couldn't disagree more. Choice is good - not bad. For me, one of the most appealing aspects of the SM4 is the ability to try different opamps. I don't see why this would possibly have anything to do with whether or not I enjoy music. One needn't change opamps if he/she doesn't want to. The SM4 is 'plug and play'. On the other hand, it doesn't take much electronics ability to pop out an opamp and plug another one in.
By the way, after trying very many different opamps, I'm back to OPA128, and I still prefer it to all others.
I do own and enjoy LE and could roll opamps. It seems that RE is not a replacement for Macro but a NEW product - a purist, minimalist reference level product. What I like about RE design is that it takes away all the switches and possible design considerations for various opamps that could be rolled, but instead focuses on a specific design and optimizes it.
Hopefully there will be no future upgrade for RE, the production version would be fully tricked out. Hence RE has the potential of appealing to much wider audience - audiophiles and music lovers alike! Cheers!
Good thing Macro4, LE, mini, micro will still be in production - hence providing choice. |
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chris_ah1
New Member
97 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 02:32:36
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Having a gain switch for use with westone UM2s wouldn't be a bad thing on the reference....I know I know it defeats the 'reference' point, but it is still useful.
Or can you put the volume knob low enough to get enough of a good volume range?
I would rather have more than simply too quiet or too loud.
Battery life is damn good on this - almost in the same area as a tomahawk. |
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mrarroyo
Average Member
USA
556 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 05:50:20
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| Chris, I listen at very low volumes and with my V-Moda (not the same high quality sound as out of your UM2 but low impedence) and I can listen at very low volume. So yes the volume pot has enough "play room" to handle from my say my Grado (32 ohm) to my 250 ohm Beyer. |
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ath
New Member
USA
88 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 05:54:30
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Chris,
Why would one need a gain switch for UM2? I just bought one unwilling to wait for the 3's. It sounds damn good out of headphone out from my Iriver H140. Did you mean Low and Lower gain? :-)
Anand. |
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Xin
Moderator
USA
2383 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 07:46:30
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| The default gain is set to fit wide selection of headphones. The volume pot is special, it has very slow motion around low positions, good for IEM cans. If you still need a lower or higher gain, you may request it. A gain switch (even a jumper) will definately defeat the goal of this design. |
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chris_ah1
New Member
97 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 08:57:04
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Yes, definitely it would defeat the purpose.
All i know is that UM2s add an incredible amount of electrical noise - I can't listen to most sources with my UM2s only because of the hiss I get. Regardless of volume. Just plugging them in gets a fair bit of hiss. Press play and no matter how low a volume and it's terrible. in fact, you need a higher volume to just get good sound out and then you get more hiss anyway by which time your ears are ruined.
And I've tried with tons of sources - media players, my musiland DAC, straight out of my computers (x-fi, audigy, onboard*2), from a Govibe5. Only the GV5 can get rid of most of the UM2 sound and it's low gain. It sounds crap, but it attenuates the noise well.
Very quickly my UM2s get very loud with even a bit of volume.
e.g. at 10 o'clock my GV5 is blasting my ears whereas with my Sony SA5000s I can turn it all the way up to 2 o'clock for the same volume.
I can just imagine with a relatively high gain device (above 2) I'll be limited to maybe one or two hours of volume adjustment.
It's not just about impedance but about sensitivity too.
I know I had a pair of sony buds and they were I think 29ohms like my UM2s but they sounded perfect out of all the sources. But UM2s get unusable without the govibe in the way to attenuate.
I take it gain is set at 4ish?
I would add an impedance plug to my UM2s but apparently it ruins the sound - I might still get one from Akzip though or the ety cable.
I think it would be quite funny to plug UM2s into a Rudistor set at 15.
Still, it is good to know that perhaps with this my UM2s will be ok because of the volume pot. BUt it will be hard to justify if I have a LE on the way. |
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Xin
Moderator
USA
2383 Posts |
Posted - 06/01/2007 : 09:02:51
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| If you are using an amp, you must NOT set your source's output level to be too low. 3/4 to 4/4 of the max volume is generally optimal and never go lower. This will get rid of the hiss from the source. Many people mistakenly turn the source's volume all way down to avoid hiss. It is the other way. |
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New XIN Reference amp
