yeah, well basically 797B give a very transparent and wide SS...not limited in anyway, and 1363 gives it a tuby/holographic "color"...but it doesn't touch the SS whatsoever.
the Burson was messing w/ the SS, and made it predictible and highly colored...some songs sounded AMAZING, but it was killing the 797B versatile SS IMO...
OTOH that 1uf cap on the burson is way too strong, I should try w/ 0.1uf...but well the Prodigy feeds it w/ ±8.8V from a PC SMPS..when it needs at least ±12V.
in the HA-160 they runs at ±18V from a killer stabilized PSU, and that cheapo NJM4580V that's driving my headphones won't be in the way either...so it'll be 4*AD797B on the DAC output > Burson head-amp, I hope it'll kill! if it doesn't, I'm still very happy w/ the 797B>1363>4580...IC's aren't that bad when you match them to your taste
PS: like majkel said, 797B can REALLY sounds vynil.
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There's a big big distance between saying "keep the crosstalk as low as possible" (if that's what they say), meaning like 140 dB of channel separation, and saying "most dual op-amps make a big blurry mess of the 2 channels". 😀
Just to remind you, vynil (the real thing) has no more than 30 dB of channel separation 😉
Ah well... no problem. I've preferred my CMOY too so far, that's why I forgot the LDM+. But recently I rediscovered it and it...sounds good. Mostly "good" in a different way. The headphone I'm using is the Sennheiser HD238.
Yeah, the AD797 is one of the near-transparent opamps, like LT1028, OPA1611, LME49720HA, end very few others.yeah, well basically 797B give a very transparent and wide SS...not limited in anyway, and 1363 gives it a tuby/holographic "color"...but it doesn't touch the SS whatsoever.
the Burson was messing w/ the SS, and made it predictible and highly colored...some songs sounded AMAZING, but it was killing the 797B versatile SS IMO...
OTOH that 1uf cap on the burson is way too strong, I should try w/ 0.1uf...but well the Prodigy feeds it w/ ±8.8V from a PC SMPS..when it needs at least ±12V.
in the HA-160 they runs at ±18V from a killer stabilized PSU, and that cheapo NJM4580V that's driving my headphones won't be in the way either...so it'll be 4*AD797B on the DAC output > Burson head-amp, I hope it'll kill! if it doesn't, I'm still very happy w/ the 797B>1363>4580...IC's aren't that bad when you match them to your taste
PS: like majkel said, 797B can REALLY sounds vynil.
I insist 😛 that the LT1363 didn't have such a special soundstage for my ears. The LT1028 sounds bigger to me.
Do try the LT1677. It will amaze you with its ambient cues and such 🙂
The LT1028 possibly has a more monitor-like presentation of things, though I'd never say it has a less airy sound than the LT1363 or the OPA211. 🙂
It's just that with it the overall sound quality of my system (with the modest Polk Audio Monitor 30's) reminds me pretty dangerously of the way my Acoustic Energy AE1 MkII used to sound like...
The LT1028 possibly has a more monitor-like presentation of things, though I'd never say it has a less airy sound than the LT1363 or the OPA211. 🙂
It's just that with it the overall sound quality of my system (with the modest Polk Audio Monitor 30's) reminds me pretty dangerously of the way my Acoustic Energy AE1 MkII used to sound like...
In all honesty, I think it's rather silly to spend $350 on a headphone amp, unless you have the Sennheiser HD800... and a much better source than a scoundcard.in the HA-160 they runs at ±18V from a killer stabilized PSU, and that cheapo NJM4580V that's driving my headphones won't be in the way either...so it'll be 4*AD797B on the DAC output > Burson head-amp, I hope it'll kill! if it doesn't, I'm still very happy w/ the 797B>1363>4580...IC's aren't that bad when you match them to your taste
Look at this... Welcome to Audiophilechina
70 euro for a OPA2134 + discrete buffer headphone amp. 🙂 I'm talking to myself...because I know you're sooo hopelessly fixed on Burson's (overpriced) products 😛
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BTW, with all this restless talk about active electronic parts, maybe we should start to talk more about interconnects...
I got some LT1115, wonde how they'd sound 🙂
BTW, this DAC uses LT1364: Poppulse - POPPULSE DAC 707 Convertisseur Audio Numérique 24Bit/192KHz
I'm really NOT fixed on Burson....I got a good deal on this amp, if it sounds like *** it will go!
indeed! but we're talking about bottlenecks here...my soundcard design is prolly killing the xtalk in MANY other places as well
49720HA near-transparent? you're kidding, right?
BTW, this DAC uses LT1364: Poppulse - POPPULSE DAC 707 Convertisseur Audio Numérique 24Bit/192KHz
well, ideally it's better to use crappy headphones on a killer amp...than the opposite. and my cd1k is not exactly junk either ^^
I'm really NOT fixed on Burson....I got a good deal on this amp, if it sounds like *** it will go!
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I don't know how the LME49720HA worked in your soundcard, and witout proper adapter, but all things being under control, yes, the LME49720HA is a near-transparent chip. I remember being impressed with its ability to let the recording's own tonality through, at which it seemed superior to most plastic-package opamps. If there's a chip I've remotely regretted not having chosen over the 2x LT1028CS8 to solder in my Super Pro, it is that.
The headphone amp I have suggested looks nothing like "crappy". Don't take price as a universal measure of quality.
Regarding the soundcard and dual opamps... OK, the reason why I suggested the LME49725 is because I've my reasons to believe it'd pair very well with the AK4396... and if you agree that the fact that it's dual (one dual per channel, though 😉) wouldn't certainly be the bottleneck for your sound card's channel separation (it has a socket for a dual summer & output buffer chip, after all, and even with two singles on browndog, you still have the power supply bypassing in common), then... why don't you give it a try and tell me the result 🙂
The headphone amp I have suggested looks nothing like "crappy". Don't take price as a universal measure of quality.
Regarding the soundcard and dual opamps... OK, the reason why I suggested the LME49725 is because I've my reasons to believe it'd pair very well with the AK4396... and if you agree that the fact that it's dual (one dual per channel, though 😉) wouldn't certainly be the bottleneck for your sound card's channel separation (it has a socket for a dual summer & output buffer chip, after all, and even with two singles on browndog, you still have the power supply bypassing in common), then... why don't you give it a try and tell me the result 🙂
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That's precisely my newer DAC! I've made it sound much better though, with better passive parts and especially an unquestionably better output opamp (the famous LT1028). 😎
the 49720HA SS was just like NA, artificial and dull.
I've found a dealer for AD8597, but he wants $39 for 4 pieces...not sure that's worth it.
so what do you think of LT1115?
PS: damn the 24bit FLAC's of the Beatles sound really sweet...too bad the songs are so yesterday.
I used to complain that my soundcard sounded digital(not enough LPF), and now it sounds as analog as can be...need to get used too 😛
I've found a dealer for AD8597, but he wants $39 for 4 pieces...not sure that's worth it.
so what do you think of LT1115?
PS: damn the 24bit FLAC's of the Beatles sound really sweet...too bad the songs are so yesterday.
I used to complain that my soundcard sounded digital(not enough LPF), and now it sounds as analog as can be...need to get used too 😛
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if you read a bit of french, check this one out: homecinema-be.com - op amp Burson discret V2 !?
the guy says that 1028 is clearer, but that the 3 others sound better on complex music.
the guy says that 1028 is clearer, but that the 3 others sound better on complex music.
LM4562, LME49680, BB627, LT1028 ?
LOL, I prefer the LT1028ACN8/CS8 to the other three even on quiet (=no sound) passages!! 😀 Just kidding. Complex passages? They must be more comples than in all my records.
I do agree that the LME49860 "est plus rond", too rond in fact, like the others in the LME series when compared to their competitors. Compare with the OPA211, OPA827, LT1611, which sound closer to the LT1028 than the LME49860. The roundness of the LME49860 may turn useful in certain applications, though. I prefer never to exclude any opamp "by principle", anyway.
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Yeah, that sort of thing is not an "automatic" improvement. The cost of the parts is quite objective, though. 🙂
I'm tickled... I might want to replace the LT1028CS8 with the OPA1611. It's a little bit boring to have two DACs that sound exactly the same...
And now that I've discovered this new & great chip...
I must think.
And now that I've discovered this new & great chip...
I must think.
sound is cleaner/clearer/less distorted but there's been an obvious change in the low end bass...it's less bloated and more percussive, but I kinda liked it a bit bloated 🙄
I can easily understand why the burson w/ the 1uf cap was bass shy as hell...I will mount a new one tomorrow I think, together w/ that 0.1uf cap...or maybe I'll just remove it on the final buffer, and leave it on the DAC output only.
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You're not likely to enjoy the bass of the LT1028, then 🙂
Anyway it doesn't make sense that a .1uF bypass cap would improve the bass in terms of quantity, as compared to a 1uF bypass... It's rather the electrolytics what may have some influence on bass impact and dynamics..
don't make me say what I didn't say...basically the higher the cap value, the less low end bass extension I seem to get.
I will ditch the cap from the final buffer in a few mins, what's a LT1363 w/o bass..
I will ditch the cap from the final buffer in a few mins, what's a LT1363 w/o bass..
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Have you compared apples to apples? 🙂 It seems that you had the 1uF attached to the Burson; then you soldered the three .1uF below the sockets. I don't follow your reasoning 😛
I think those caps shouldn't hurt, anyway. Maybe just use opamps with more bass... maybe try the LT1028 as the buffer again...