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Jackula
1743
Dec 21, 2017
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ProfessorPat
380
Dec 21, 2017
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JackulaHmm... curious how the treble is going to pan out for me now. Sounds like a very solid performer beyond that. Bass performance was where I was concerned, but your point regarding phasing makes sense as to why one reviewer complained about it.
I sort of assumed the attenuator would suck, even if it was formerly a $2k amp. Most don’t spring for DACT and the like. I figured if I hate it enough, Goldpoint makes relatively cheap, quality ones that are built well.
And I sort of thought the jacks were supposed to be off center... Maybe a weird design choice, but the shots of the one I'm getting look the same level of non-centered. Having the center bisect the gap would make sense, but having only one output would have made plenty of sense too.
Who knows. So long as it sounds good.
I sort of assumed the attenuator would suck, even if it was formerly a $2k amp. Most don’t spring for DACT and the like. I figured if I hate it enough, Goldpoint makes relatively cheap, quality ones that are built well.
And I sort of thought the jacks were supposed to be off center... Maybe a weird design choice, but the shots of the one I'm getting look the same level of non-centered. Having the center bisect the gap would make sense, but having only one output would have made plenty of sense too.
Who knows. So long as it sounds good.
Jackula
1743
Dec 21, 2017
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ProfessorPatYeah I'm not the guy to ask any volume controls, I'm not big on modding. The only attenuator I know of its Alps :(
Be interested to hear your impressions. And I'm also curious how the synergy is with other DACs, I might try my O2 when I get the chance.
Enjoy your Christmas mate! 🎉
Be interested to hear your impressions. And I'm also curious how the synergy is with other DACs, I might try my O2 when I get the chance.
Enjoy your Christmas mate! 🎉
ProfessorPat
380
Dec 22, 2017
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JackulaThe volume control in this amp looks cheap. Found them for sale on ebay, and one seller had internal shots. Honestly, it looks like a decent bit of the price comes from that aluminum can... I doubt I'll change it at all unless I absolutely hate it and simultaneously love the amp though.
Anyway, I'll be sure to offer up a little bit of feedback on it when it shows up. FedEx is saying mid next week right now, and unlike USPS, who has another thing I ordered going to and from the same city multiple times for the past day and a half... this seems to be going the right direction.
Enjoy your Christmas as well!
Anyway, I'll be sure to offer up a little bit of feedback on it when it shows up. FedEx is saying mid next week right now, and unlike USPS, who has another thing I ordered going to and from the same city multiple times for the past day and a half... this seems to be going the right direction.
Enjoy your Christmas as well!
Jackula
1743
Dec 26, 2017
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ProfessorPatHey, hope you've had a good Christmas!
Wondering if you've received your Heron 5 yet and can possibly do something for me? I've noticed there is a soft ticking noise coming from the transformer / power supply side (right side of amplifier), can you check with your unit to see if this is normal - I'm guessing no.
I might have to return this thing, a ticking transformer in my experience, usually lead to imminent failure.
Wondering if you've received your Heron 5 yet and can possibly do something for me? I've noticed there is a soft ticking noise coming from the transformer / power supply side (right side of amplifier), can you check with your unit to see if this is normal - I'm guessing no.
I might have to return this thing, a ticking transformer in my experience, usually lead to imminent failure.
ProfessorPat
380
Dec 27, 2017
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JackulaChristmas was good, but no amp yet. I'm still waiting on mine. Still a day or two away from the looks of it. No updates in a while, and that's a little unexpected, so maybe tomorrow. If the transformer's making noise though, that sounds like a problem. Worst I get from anything else I own is a hum, some things far more than others, but no ticking.
Unless there's something ticking under all of that heatshrink at the power switch, I don't see anything that would normally make any noise. The output relay would click... once, when powering it on/off. But even then, if that's broken and ticking, the sound would be centered up front, not on the supply side (and your output would likely be screwy).
They do brag about the transformer being rated for more than quintuple the required power though. It stands a better chance of holding up with a loose winding than a smaller one would. If that's what it is though, a dead amp could happen pretty randomly... I'll definitely keep an eye on it for any odd noises when I get mine though.
Unless there's something ticking under all of that heatshrink at the power switch, I don't see anything that would normally make any noise. The output relay would click... once, when powering it on/off. But even then, if that's broken and ticking, the sound would be centered up front, not on the supply side (and your output would likely be screwy).
They do brag about the transformer being rated for more than quintuple the required power though. It stands a better chance of holding up with a loose winding than a smaller one would. If that's what it is though, a dead amp could happen pretty randomly... I'll definitely keep an eye on it for any odd noises when I get mine though.
ProfessorPat
380
Dec 28, 2017
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JackulaJust got mine set up about half an hour ago. There's a very slight hum that I have to more or less press my ear to it to hear, but no ticking. Doesn't look like that should be happening, unfortunately.
Jackula
1743
Dec 28, 2017
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ProfessorPatThanks and congrats, you got it! Oh please I'm looking forward to your impression :)
The ticking noise is getting a bit worse. Upon turning on the amp, it now makes a few loud ticks and then dies down to the usual ticking. MD doesn't have a replacement for these, so it looks like I might be waiting for the EC Black Widow after all, but I do feel a bit weak for the post-xmas discounts offered by my local dealer, 25% off the Violectric V281 or 50% off the Auralic Taurus Mk2 (edit: oh the Taurus has been sold now).
The ticking noise is getting a bit worse. Upon turning on the amp, it now makes a few loud ticks and then dies down to the usual ticking. MD doesn't have a replacement for these, so it looks like I might be waiting for the EC Black Widow after all, but I do feel a bit weak for the post-xmas discounts offered by my local dealer, 25% off the Violectric V281 or 50% off the Auralic Taurus Mk2 (edit: oh the Taurus has been sold now).
ProfessorPat
380
Dec 29, 2017
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JackulaI was going to just make a few notes on various songs as I listened to my demo playlist, but things just kept getting longer and longer, so here's something a bit more organized. Unfortunately, the comparison is to something it outclasses so easily, that even things it could do better are things it does incredibly well by comparison, so criticism will be lacking.
While the tonal balance is actually quite similar to the other amp, the space and control it has are major improvements. It also reproduces texture far better than the old amp ever did. A tube swap could likely give me a noteworthy improvement to at least the soundstage there, but it would also likely make pretty solid changes to the overall sound, which I enjoy for the most part, and this amp does a great job of recapturing, with plenty of other improvements. I guess, despite using a relatively cheap tube, all of this is a pretty solid testament to the abilities of a tiny (I say that, but it's still not easy to find another 3W@32Ohm amp) tube hybrid from a company that no longer exists...
The bass does feel a little softer, but it also feels more controlled. Never lacking, but a little less impactful, and I'll even say it's only perceptually less. It's quick enough that I think it's still there, it just doesn't get drawn out quite as long, so it feels like there's less of it. That's the impression I get more and more as I listen anyway.
I can't say I was bothered by the smooth treble, but the Modi 2U is fairly bright, and the M1060 is fairly peaky in the treble, so the combo doesn't lend itself to a particularly sparkly top end being a great pairing. The 6XX may prove lacking up there when it gets a turn though, we'll see.
Beyond how it sounds, I also hate that volume control. It's not as tight as most attenuators I've dealt with. I just feels flimsy. I'm sure the big knob makes turning it a little overly easy, but still, it just doesn't feel right.
Oh, and I have to agree on the outputs. The M1060 is 50 ohms, and sounds weird on the high out. I ran it from the low for everything so far. I assume the 6XX will be better on the high out based on that.
And as for the 6XX...
These make the differences between amps more apparent. The bloom I mentioned when demoing the 6XX for the first time is just gone. The added speed here cleaned that up with ease. The bass didn't go away, it just tightened up, a lot. Really thinking about it, the old amp comes across as sweeter, at the expense of speed and accuracy. I like that sweetness, but the tradeoff is not a bad one. The better control is not a bad thing by any means. The treble smoothness is also more apparent. It's not bad, but I would like just a little more air and energy up top. The treble in particular is definitely a weaker aspect of this amp's presentation.
I think after hearing both headphones, I'd have to say that the amp is just a tad drier than I'd like. Not enough to really take issue with, but lacking the more lush feel I'd grown used to (which admittedly is full of all sorts of flaws). It does so many things well though, things I didn't even know I wanted it to do, that it's easy to say it's worth a listen at the very least.
While the tonal balance is actually quite similar to the other amp, the space and control it has are major improvements. It also reproduces texture far better than the old amp ever did. A tube swap could likely give me a noteworthy improvement to at least the soundstage there, but it would also likely make pretty solid changes to the overall sound, which I enjoy for the most part, and this amp does a great job of recapturing, with plenty of other improvements. I guess, despite using a relatively cheap tube, all of this is a pretty solid testament to the abilities of a tiny (I say that, but it's still not easy to find another 3W@32Ohm amp) tube hybrid from a company that no longer exists...
The bass does feel a little softer, but it also feels more controlled. Never lacking, but a little less impactful, and I'll even say it's only perceptually less. It's quick enough that I think it's still there, it just doesn't get drawn out quite as long, so it feels like there's less of it. That's the impression I get more and more as I listen anyway.
I can't say I was bothered by the smooth treble, but the Modi 2U is fairly bright, and the M1060 is fairly peaky in the treble, so the combo doesn't lend itself to a particularly sparkly top end being a great pairing. The 6XX may prove lacking up there when it gets a turn though, we'll see.
Beyond how it sounds, I also hate that volume control. It's not as tight as most attenuators I've dealt with. I just feels flimsy. I'm sure the big knob makes turning it a little overly easy, but still, it just doesn't feel right.
Oh, and I have to agree on the outputs. The M1060 is 50 ohms, and sounds weird on the high out. I ran it from the low for everything so far. I assume the 6XX will be better on the high out based on that.
And as for the 6XX...
These make the differences between amps more apparent. The bloom I mentioned when demoing the 6XX for the first time is just gone. The added speed here cleaned that up with ease. The bass didn't go away, it just tightened up, a lot. Really thinking about it, the old amp comes across as sweeter, at the expense of speed and accuracy. I like that sweetness, but the tradeoff is not a bad one. The better control is not a bad thing by any means. The treble smoothness is also more apparent. It's not bad, but I would like just a little more air and energy up top. The treble in particular is definitely a weaker aspect of this amp's presentation.
I think after hearing both headphones, I'd have to say that the amp is just a tad drier than I'd like. Not enough to really take issue with, but lacking the more lush feel I'd grown used to (which admittedly is full of all sorts of flaws). It does so many things well though, things I didn't even know I wanted it to do, that it's easy to say it's worth a listen at the very least.
ProfessorPat
380
Jan 1, 2018
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JackulaLooks like it’s dropping again. Not sure what MD‘s solution to the funky one was, but seems like they should be able to do something for you if they’re pushing more of these out...
Jackula
1743
Jan 4, 2018
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ProfessorPatBeen gone for a few days, looks like a lot has happened! I'll likely just return mine instead of getting a replacement, the problem with the Heron 5 (or rather the problem with me) is, regardless of areas of improvement against my Woo, I only tend to focus more on where it's lacking. I think I'll need to find an amp that will completely eclipse my Woo, not one that is 80% of it.
The tube sweetness is hard to find on a SS amp, regardless of price. This is an unfortunate fact I'll have to accept when I switch to a solid state.
@DinoJoe Oh yes, absolutely!
The tube sweetness is hard to find on a SS amp, regardless of price. This is an unfortunate fact I'll have to accept when I switch to a solid state.
@DinoJoe Oh yes, absolutely!
ProfessorPat
380
Jan 5, 2018
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JackulaFair enough. I was sort of looking at it from a, you’re still going to get a black widow when available, standpoint. In that case, the Heron being cheaper would make up for things a little bit in my book. But getting nothing new is cheaper still if you can just wait it out...
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My god this is a beautiful amplifier! It sounds almost as good as my much more expensive maxed out Woo (a $1.8k amplifier). I've read criticisms of the amplifier on SBAF so my plan was to flip it if I didn't like it. But after 8 hours of side-by-side comparisons, I hear none of those mentioned issues. My only guess is it's got something to do with the volume control problems from the initial production run, or simply a matter of poor synergy. Volume control from the SBAF review:
To address the main concerns of this amp from various forums, mainly SBAF which for some reason is the only place where this amp doesn't get recommended:
Bass It's there, it's meaty and it's extended. It makes my Woo feel bass light! Also remember this amp is phase perfect which can have a lower perceived bass quantity, for example, amps with an average 45 degree phase distortion will mean approx 2.5ms of bass delay at 100hz, this delay can attenuate higher frequencies, making the bass sound more pronounced. As an experiment, I tried applying high amounts of bass gain; as expected, my Woo exhibited significant amounts of distortion while my Heron5 sounded effortless with no excessive distortion (provided it wasn't clipping). Dynamics 130dB of dynamic range, what more do you want? Music have much blacker background and attacks hits fast and hits hard.
Smoothness My main criticism is although the macro-dynamics is great overall, micro-dynamics is slightly off in the upper octaves. I do like a smooth sound, however the Heron5 is even smoother than my Woo in the high frequencies making upper harmonics somewhat lacking in brilliance, but makes up for it with better transparency, resolution and timbre in the bass and lower mids. Some people might prefer the overly smooth treble, but coming from my Woo it will take time to get used to. ---------------- The main problem with the Heron5, IMO, is the build quality. I can confirm the volume control is absolutely a POS. It looks cheap and feels broken. There are two output jacks, one HIGH which is for better impedance matching and one LOW which is for lower damping, neither jacks are exactly centered. Reviews I've read suggests HIGH is for low impedance cans while LOW is for high impedance cans, but my experience is the opposite. When I first listened to the LOW output, the amp was a only slightly better than my WA6SE stock. But on the HIGH output, it easily outclasses stock and nears maxed quality! Maybe they've changed it, the amp has gone through a few improvement iterations.
My comparison rig, headphone jacks slightly off center:
---------------- Some might also ask, what's the point of a flagship amplifier if it doesn't have balanced output? And my response is, at what cost? Balanced output increases production costs which, at the same price point, makes it actually worse overall than amps designed purely for single-ended output. Balanced amplifiers are worth it for the extreme high-end, where possible improvements upon a single-ended design has reached saturation point, they are very expensive. Although it sounds amazing with my favorite headphone of all time (the HD650/6XX), I feel this amplifier was really made for my HD800, or headphones with similar peaky treble. The smooth treble really helps tame that annoying 5-6K peak. Overall, this amp is probably around 80% of my maxed out WA6SE, the Woo is simply lusher and exhibit more pleasing harmonics. I feel the original price of $2K for this amp is a tad overpriced, however it would compete very well at the $1.5K mark. MD's best price of $599 USD is an absolute bargain, at this price bracket, it literally smashes everything else into sub-atomic particles!