Brandon.lim

Bought March 05.

Very well maintained.

Still have original box and receipt.

Asking $170

Call 96825953 to arrange for an audition.

I find that this plugin adds a veil to the music, even with both options enabled.

Better to use without.

I auditioned the UM2 at Jaben some time back on my IPOD Shuffle. I did not find the sound dark at all. The highs were sweet and the balance was quite neutral overall. But then I was comparing it to my E2Cs...

The UM2 is very sensitive though. I could hear a slight hiss when changing tracks on the Shuffle.

What's the address for Anything Audio?

Thanks

Try the DH Labs D-75 with Eichmann copper bullet RCA plugs for around $80. Using it to connect my PC to a Bel Canto DAC2. The sound is fabulous. Did an A/B test with Cardas Lightning 15 and could not detect any significant difference. FYI, Cardas is going for around $450 if my memory serves me correctly.

Jaben Network in Adelphi sells them too.

Tried it. IMO, it sounds better with both the low crossfeed and highs boost options enabled.

The effect is much more noticable than the standard crossfeed plugin (which I believe is from Naive Software) included with Foobar.

If you are not using loudspeakers, I think what you are looking for is actually a preamp. No point paying for a loudspeaker amplifier circuit if you're not using it.

There are many preamps on the market. For between $200-300, you can check out the Firestone tube preamp at Jaben Network. Or the passive preamp by Effective Audio for around the same price range. You might also want to check out Audionote's preowned section and Echoloft for deals.

Bump

SOLD.

Thanks for your interest.

I find that the quality of demo sources and demo amps at Hung Brothers leaves much to be desired. It even makes the Senn HD650 sound like crap ;-)

A better place to test the HD595 would be AVOne at Adelphi, where you have access to Marantz SACD players.

This is a good article on making good CD copies.

http://www.soundstageav.com/audiovideotrends/20050415.htm

After reading the article, my interest was piqued and I applied parallel power filtering to my PC, installed ferrite clamps on the power cord and the cable from the power supply to the Yamaha CD-RW F-1 drive. Both the CDRW drive and the PC power supply are covered with Stillpoint ERS cloth. CDs are ripped to the harddisk with EAC, and then burned to the CD with Nero.

I do find that CD-R copies produced this way do result in a tangible improvement in the sound quality, mainly to the focus and depth. These conclusions were derived from my own testing as well as blind testing with a non-audiophile (my sister-in-law).

However, if the mastering quality is bad, the CD-R copy will also sound bad. Thats just the way it is.

Hi, interested in your headphones. Contact me at 9_833_6229 to discuss. Thanks.

SOLD!

Thanks for your interest.

Mint condition 10/10 with receipt and original packaging.

Still under warranty with Coherence Audio.

Brand new retailing at $250.

Asking $200.

Interested parties please call Brandon 98336229

Thanks

I bought the Cardas. Actually, the Cardas with the 650 does significantly improve the highs over the stock cable. I would not call it recessed at all. It sounds very balanced to me as well, and very revealing. This cable seems very transparent, as I can hear differences between my Arcam DV78, Bel Canto Dac2 and Marantz CD6000. My Arcam, which has been modded with an EAM clock, sounds a bit too bright with the cardas, the DAC2 tones down the balance, and the Marantz smoothes things over a bit too much, losing details in the process. I think a prospective cable upgrader needs to try the Cardas in your own setup to decide if the Zu is worth $200 more. Cables are apparently very system dependent. FYI, I'm using a Graham Slee Solo MC with DH labs Air Matrix interconnects.

Nooooo....don't tempt me........

I bought the cardas for my HD 650. Have been using it for a few months now and it just gets better with time. Very revealing, and if matched to the right system, seems to be very good throughout the frequency range. Prior to burn in, the highs are tipped but seems to mellow over time.

I have not tried any other brand of replacement cable, only the Senn original cable.

Cardas headphone cable around $240 from Coherence. Thats for the version 2 cable with Rhodium plug. I tried it with Senn 650 and found it to be a huge improvement over the stock, primarily in high frequency details and air. The stock cable sounds dark and smooth by comparison. If your source is bright and your power supply is dirty, the Cardas will reveal it through glare and harshness. I have not tried a Senn 600 so cannot compare with the 650.

Has anyone compared the Zu and Cardas on a 650?

Was at Alpha Audio yesterday evening and saw the Cambridge Audio Azur 640C going for SGD600. I think the NAD C542 was going for $660. You may wish to consider these players if the price differential is not too big.

I tried Steward ferrite clamps on my Senn 555 cables in my PC setup with a Creek OBH-21 and the depth of soundstage has improved. No detrimental effect on dynamics.

For greater effect, you can coil your headphone cable into a loop and then clamp the ferrite on the looped cable. In my setup, four turns of headphone cable passes through my ferrite clamps.

You can mail order Steward ferrite clamps from Digikey. FYI, Digikey provides information on the effective filtering frequency bandwidth, which is much more info than available for the stuff you can find at Sim Lim.

If you buy in sufficiently large quantities, the average cost per clamp is ~SGD3+.

I have been using the Creek OBH-21 since April this year. I find that it responses very well to AC filtering. I started using it without filtering and the sound was laid back, and the bass energy was quite lacking. But after I applied parallel capacitance filtering to my system, the bass energy has increased, and tthe sound is quite decent. Also, try applying Stillpoints ERS cloth inside the amp, it works wonders.

Compared to my GSP Solo MC amp, the Creek has slightly less midrange lushness and a higher low frequency rolloff, but then the Solo costs 3X as much.

I would say that this amp is value for money. FYI, the comments are based on pairing this amp with both Sennheiser HD555 and HD650.

I got my Creek at Asia Sound in Adelphi. You can bargain a little from the MSRP of $480.

Good luck!

Withdrawn

Hi guys, has anyone auditioned the Benchmark DAC 1 as a headamp? Read that it has two headphone jacks built in.

No, this is not an advertisement, but merely to bring your attention to something that could perhaps improve your music for a relative pittance. I have not tried it myself but online reviews look good. If the performance can be substantially improve for only $460, why not? What can $460 buy in Hi-fi these days?