pchong

It was on hold...but the buyer backed out last minute. BTW, folks, even though the Black Emperor seems kind of expensive for this amp...it really goes well. The LDM+ is a little lean sounding, and the Black Emperor nicely brings and restores balance to the combo. I have edited the WTS to the LDM+ and Black Emperor as a set.

Up for Christmas!

For sale: Alessandro MS-1 with MS-2 foam cup plus Sennheiser HD-414 yellow comfies. Purchased from Jaben about 3 months go. With box and original packaging. Asking S$140. Reduced. Little Dot Micro +. Black, normal gain. Box and charger. Perfect condition with less than 30 hours use, still on original charge. Purchased with one of the Clemo's MO. I paid $53 from MO, plus $10 delivery. Black Emperor with the new smaller plugs. Purchased about same time as MS-1 from Stereo Electronics. Paid $59. Asking for $85 as a set of both amp and IC. All in as new condition cosmetically as well in use. All prices negotiable, and package deal will be entertained. Please email chongp @ gmail.com (delete spaces) or sms to 98624280. Hardly used because I bought a Stax SR-001 soon after.

Stax is easily found in Japan. BIC Camera, Yobadoshi, and many of the large stores in Akhhabara. I had one of my colleagues buy a SR-001 for me from BIC - convenience rather than price, and its about half of what Kingsley wants for one. The site to look for places, if you can read Japanese, or find someone who can is www.kakaku.com. Here is the link for the O2: http://kakaku.com/item/20467010452/ I think from what I read, two best amps for the O2 would be the KGBH or the SinglePower ES-1.

I am begining to think you are correct. Actually, you are right...it says right here at the Red Wine ipod site http://www.redwineaudio.com/iMod.html that they take the analog signal directly at the analog output of the DA chips. Wonder if it is possible to do the same on the Zen?

Hmm, sounds right, if I may extrapolate from regular hifi, you want the DAP to do the voltage amplification (like a preamp), but want to bypass the headphone poweramp. Logical. But isn't EQ and volume control typically applied to the voltage gain preamp? Can we totally eliminate the preamp stage within the DAP? For the purist, a true line out would be one where the line out is tapped directly from the outputs of the DA chips. Does this kind of player exist? In a typical hifi CD player, is this how it is implemented? Or is there a voltage gain stage within the CD player? Without opening up the DAP (and even if one opens it up), how to tell if the socket marked line out is true line out, or what? In my 30G Zen Vision (not the V, but the larger player with 640x480 screen), there is a video line out socket, for plugging the device to a TV's line in. I know the socket is meant for L+R+video, but plugging in a regular 1/8" plug will allow connection to just the audio part. If I plug my headphones in, there is no volume control or EQ, and the sound I get is about max of the volume via the headphone socket. Also, this may be psycological, but I think I hear more instrument separation via the line out. So is the Zen Vision's line out a true one or fake? My understanding of the Red Wine mods on the ipod, is that they tap the analog outputs directly from the DAC...anyone can verify? If this is true, it will explain why this is probably the best sound possible from a DAP, especially in lossless mode.

how do you know if it is a true line out or a faux one?

nobody willing to share?

I am very tempted to get the Dark Voice, currently on MO....the amp looks fantastic! I am wondering which phones do you guys intend to use with the amp? Also, do they have a website? Do they have other amps?

BTW, Dark Voice got website or not ah?

a quick way I used when I was running tube amps was to use a variac. In fact, for the amps I used which had tubed power supply as well, I powered up at 100V, and over a period of half an hour to warm up the tubes moved the voltage up to 220V. I used a digital voltmeter connected to the variac. This schema will work, but may be too expensive for a $300 amp.

still in ChaoYang District? Hmmm...getting excited and impatient...:-)

Thanks man!

ho say liao. Maybe we can get the amp next week...:-)

quick question, guys...why are good new ones so hard to find? What about portable DVD players? Does anyone know if there is an audiophile manufacturer who does a portable CD setup?