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ckng

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Posts posted by ckng

  2. Posted · Report reply

    heady...digging up this old thread.

     

    i am looking for options to upgrade from my current Trends 10.1 amp. I find the Trends amp is loud enough but work hard to drive the bookshelf. So I'm thinking whether amp 5 or amp 10 will be able to do a better job and can be used if I upgrade my speakers later. :drool:

     

    Or...do you have any other recommendations? :grin:

     

    Tried to look for tube amp too but not sure I really want to go that path yet!! :doh:

     

    I have been using my AMP5 for over a year now, driving my 86dB/W/m Usher S520s. They sound pretty darn good. It should be able to work well for you unless you have super low sensitivity speakers.

     

    Regards

    CK

  3. Posted · Report reply

    Hi,

     

    I tried both the Westone UM-1 and Audio Technica CK-7. Both have their merits. The UM-1 is very natural sounding, with very refined and liquid smooth midrange and treble. Very nice for vocals. However the downside is that it has close to no bass. Soundstage is very good, as are the low-level details. If you are used to the EP-630, you may not like the UM-1.

     

    The CK-7 has much better bass, but the trade off is the relatively inferior (to the UM-1) midrange/treble. Soundstage and details are not as good, but I think overall it sounds "fuller" to me.

     

    I guess you have to try both (and possibly more) then make a decision.

     

    Regards

    CK

  4. Posted · Report reply

    ok, so I found out what's wrong. Looks like I am not wearing it properly and it was not giving a good seal. I must have somehow got it correct at the shop. After some practise, I am now able to get it right and they are now sounding very good. Bass's a little on the light side though.

     

    Regards

    CK

  6. Posted · Report reply

    Hi,

     

    Just got a pair of UM-1s - when I tried the test pair at Jaben, they sounded very nice and full. But the new one I got is kinda thin. Is this normal? I read that armature phones like this do not need burn-in, so I am not sure if that's going to help. I've tried both the default tips and the "Shure Olive" which they gave me (which looks the same as what's on their test pair).

     

    Currently using them un-amped from a iPod Touch. Thanks!

     

    Regards

    CK

  9. Posted · Report reply

    seriously speaking, what does a hifi interconnect do? Recover lost frequency?

     

    Studios uses the beldens/mogamis/canares. Why are we spending so much on interconnect when it all began with cheap stuffs.

     

    Everyone agree that garbage in= garage out. And since at the beginning cheap cable are used, why are we spending so much on our hifi cables.

     

    Well, possibly to retrieve as much information (i.e. as close to these Belden/Canare/etc can give) as possible? If the studio uses cheap cables, and you use cheap cables too, you end up losing "twice"? :P

     

    Regards

    CK

  10. Posted · Report reply

    Too many good music really!

     

    I agree Howard Shore LOTR cds are good, sonically and as an original composition.

     

    Also, try Richard Strauss "Four Last Songs' by Jessye Norman, Gewandhaus-Orchester Leipzip conducted by Kurt Masur, under Philips label.

     

    regards, iggyting

     

    You referring to this CD?

     

    IPB Image

     

    Her playing is pretty good, but a little on the fast side compared to other recordings.

     

    Regards

    CK

  11. Posted · Report reply

    Hi, i new to this forum. Hoping to get help from pro from this forums

     

    I want to buy a desktop headphone amp but need to know where to connect it to get the best result.

    I have a Pioneer VSX-515 receiver which is connected to ONKYO SE-200.

    so where does my headphone amp need to be connect to get the best result?

    is it directly from the sound card or the receiver?

     

    Thanks.

    The easy way will be to connect the SE-200 to the Pioneer, then take one of the Pioneer's Tape/Record Outputs and connect it to the headphone amp of your choice.

     

    Regards

    CK

  13. Posted · Report reply

    I haven't tried the in-ear earphones other than the Creative EP630 and the Sony EX71SL. Both isolates the noise to a certain degree, but is still rather loud. I do find the Creative Aurvana X-Fi to be very effective (more so than the 2 in-ears mentioned) in cancelling the noise though. Above ground, the train noise is nearly totally cancelled. Underground, there's still some noise remaining. Trouble is the bulk of it.

     

    I am not sure how the better IEMs like the UEs, Shures, Westones perform though.

     

    Regards

    CK

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Actually even the amps with active ground channel can also be used as preamp, just use the input ground as output ground for the preamp. Use the active ground only for the headphone out.

    Good idea, I never thought of that :P

     

    Aiyah, my cupboard is full of uncompleted projects - I am listening to my USB-Monica3 now in a temp case. Very nice sound. Got it as assembled pcb, only need to solder the leads in and out.

    You mean there's a USB version of the Monica 3 now? How much is the assembled version?

     

     

    why not go tube ..... 24V Aikido Tube Line Stage and Headphone Amplifier

     

    i am using the Sony SA5000 with a full Black-Gate upgraded Denon 2880AR CDP now.

    i tell you about the Denon CDP headphone section ..... i rolled about 7 pairs of different ic on it and the best ic to match my SA5000 in it are NE5532 ...... its amazing ..... not even the OPA627 can match it ... the guitar sound just so correct with Denon/Sony ... I dont feel like getting any HP amp at all ....

    maybe its because the SA5000 needs a bit more power to drive ....

     

    If only it could have more bass, then it would be perfect.

     

    anyway, let me know lah ..... I will be ordering the 24V Aikido Tube Line Stage and Headphone Amplifier PCB next month.

     

    How is the Aikido compared to the other tube designs like the Bijou, Millet Max, Morgan-Jones, SOHA, etc? Are the tubes required difficult to find?

     

    Regards

    CK

     

  15. Posted · Report reply

    Hi CK,

    Good to see you getting your hands on the solder iron again.

     

    Hand itchy, but dunno when I am going to start though. Took me months to get started and complete my AMP5 the last time. :P

     

    I have built the standard SOHA and the sound is sickeningly similar to the PPA. I said sickening as I had a PPA at that time which cost me quite a lot to build even though the pcb was a clone. The SOHA parts are surprising cheap. I got most of the parts from Koba.

     

    I understand the M3 is quite costly while the CK2I3 is cheaper. I heard the CK2I3 during the last meet and it is quite neutral. I have gathered all the parts for my set but have not embarked on building it yet. I haven't heard the M3 but I have heard the B22 which is supposed to be as good as it can get.

     

    I ordered a Bijou kit from Glassjar Audio but Jeff has not started shipping yet. And that is supposed to be better than the SOHA.

     

    Looks like you are into several projects at once eh? I have not heard the PPA or the others so I don't know how they sound like. Oh, one more criteria. If the headamp can be a pre-amp as well (like the CK2III) better still. :) I am not sure if those amps with a ground channel will function well as a pre-amp.

     

    Have you found the transformer for your Bijou yet?

     

    Regards

    CK

  16. Posted · Report reply

    Hi,

     

    Looking to build something to upgrade my old META42 and Xiang Sheng 708B. For up to say, $200 in parts, what would be a good DIY amp to build (I am fine with either tube or SS)? Parts availability is a concern as well as sound quality (of coz). Don't need it to be portable. I will be driving AKG 501 and AKG 271S.

     

    Considering the following -

    - M^3

    - CK2III

    - SOHA

     

    Thanks in advance.

     

    Regards

    CK

  17. Posted · Edited by ckng · Report reply

    I heard one of the Earmax model during the Dec 2007 meet and I really like it a lot. It is quite surprising given the small size of the unit. Unfortunately, I am in Team Low-Budget which is why I am in Team DIY. :cry:

    I heard a friend's unit on his HD600 many years back and it sounded pretty nice. Also looks very nice, small and cute. The DIY version of this is supposedly the Morgan Jones headamp. I didn't remember that the Earmax/Earmax Pro is THAT expensive though. Prices must have went up significantly over the years.

     

    Regards

    CK

  18. Posted · Report reply

    i pass by hmv citilink today. Ashkenazy dun have Chopin Nocturne in Op 9 No 2 in E flat. Rubinstein 2 CD is $53 cant afford.

    hmv have a couple of other players like Martha Argerich, Horowitz. and a couple of the Lang Lang cds.

     

    maybe better luck at other stores. hmv has miserably small collection of classical music for a store of its size. its going mainstream more focus on dvds and pop music.

     

    Sadly, it has been like this for years. Both the HMVs here have drastically scaled down their classical collections, Tower likewise before it closed down. To add insult to the injury, the HMV classical prices actually went up. I now go to the Gramophone @ Capitol Building, though their collection is still not that extensive. Borders probably has one of the largest collection now.

     

    Regards

    CK

  23. Posted · Report reply

    Hi guys,

     

    my recent post seek for help on constructing a volume control by wiring 2 stereo jacks to a volume pot.

     

    I have managed to get it done, 2 stereo jacks and a alps volume pot(100k), but it seems that its a little soft and i have to max the volume to hear the music.

     

    I have not try it on my cd player which plays very loudly to my 600ohms headphone though, but have anyone tried anything similar and can shedsome liek if my idea should works.

     

    How is the pot connected?

     

    Regards

    CK

  24. Posted · Report reply

    Hi,

     

    Are you looking for noise-isolating 'phones like the in-ear earphones or active noise-cancelling headphones like the Bose QC2? For the latter, you can consider the Creative Aurvana X-Fi headphones at $499. If I am not wrong, this is around the same price range as the Bose and reviews say it outperforms the Bose. I have not personally tried the Bose so can't comment, but when I tried the X-Fi at the hifi show the noise-cancelling capabilities are pretty darn good.

     

    IPB Image

     

    Regards

    CK

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