Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 27, 2019 13:10:15 GMT
I got this yesterday (bought from EBay) and have been playing with it. It’s basically a device for adding extra illusion of space to headphone listening. Given that this is my main problem with headphone listening, I was always going to have a punt. It’s also from Sonneteer and costs under £15, so it was a no brainer.
Does it do what it says? Well it does as much as what others claim from planar magnetic headphones. They claim the sound is now outside your head when it’s only marginally more spacious.. It does work though as far as I can hear.
The caveat is that my best phones right now are SR80i and my only headphone source is my iPad and the sound isn’t great to start with. Serious listening with expensive cans and dedicated amp and source may reveal more, but at less than £15 I’d say it’s well worth a try.
Will I use it all the time? Yes, but I’m not a big headphone fan, so please take this into account.
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Post by dsjr on Feb 27, 2019 15:00:11 GMT
SR80i's are the top models with basic earpads, so upgrade a few stages with the earpads themselves  You hear air and space totally differently from me I think (we've discussed this before), but a central image *should* be in the centre of my head when I listen. the amps I have given over to headphones are wonderful for air, space and so on if it's there in the recording. I don't use it, but my active preamp shave a continuously variable 'Panorama' control, so over-wide modern recordings (or old ping-pong 'stereo' recordings) can be narrowed a little, but I suspect this does the opposite of the device you have.. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2019 16:19:01 GMT
I've gone off serious headphone listening. Maybe the mojo will come back later in the year.
S.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 27, 2019 23:00:56 GMT
SR80i's are the top models with basic earpads, so upgrade a few stages with the earpads themselves You hear air and space totally differently from me I think (we've discussed this before), but a central image *should* be in the centre of my head when I listen. the amps I have given over to headphones are wonderful for air, space and so on if it's there in the recording. I don't use it, but my active preamp shave a continuously variable 'Panorama' control, so over-wide modern recordings (or old ping-pong 'stereo' recordings) can be narrowed a little, but I suspect this does the opposite of the device you have.. Has anyone any idea what could be inside the Headspace? I will probably get curious and crack it open. Robs wreck it in the process. |
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Post by sq225917 on Feb 28, 2019 17:54:15 GMT
It'll just be a simple cross feed circuit
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2019 10:53:40 GMT
  I use Alpha design Labs ADL-H118 with a Meng Mini 6PI, that has had Russian valves fitted through't, better coupling caps and resistors with the boards and soldering cleaned up. It gives a very open punchy non fatiguing sound, great mid range and bass and a sound stage surprisingly. Not the ultimate in top send sparkle, which is not realy my choice for long term listening. Run the Meng through my Audio research SP16 pre, this gives remote input and volume settings. Even on it's own without the pre the Meng does a stellar job. All for a very small outlay about 110 pounds all in max. |
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Bigman80
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AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 1, 2019 14:42:39 GMT
View AttachmentView AttachmentI use Alpha design Labs ADL-H118 with a Meng Mini 6PI, that has had Russian valves fitted through't, better coupling caps and resistors with the boards and soldering cleaned up. It gives a very open punchy non fatiguing sound, great mid range and bass and a sound stage surprisingly. Not the ultimate in top send sparkle, which is not realy my choice for long term listening. Run the Meng through my Audio research SP16 pre, this gives remote input and volume settings. Even on it's own without the pre the Meng does a stellar job. All for a very small outlay about 110 pounds all in max. I’ve had three of those Music Angel (Meng) amps but all have suffered problems with UK voltage and have arced badly, Anyone closer to 230v might be ok. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2019 21:33:11 GMT
Your voltage in the UK is 230v same as ours? (Ours is all over the place a lot of the time). Had that amp for well over 10 years, bought third hand, never given a moments problem. The bloke I bought it from is nagging me to sell it back to him. Drove my Vandersteen 2CE Signatures with ease 86db (10 Wpc) never showed any signs of strain, loud enough to chase you from the room.
Sounded great, mid range was a bit flat that's about all.
Guess like all these cheap chink things it is pot luck.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 1, 2019 21:51:18 GMT
Your voltage in the UK is 230v same as ours? (Ours is all over the place a lot of the time). Had that amp for well over 10 years, bought third hand, never given a moments problem. The bloke I bought it from is nagging me to sell it back to him. Drove my Vandersteen 2CE Signatures with ease 86db (10 Wpc) never showed any signs of strain, loud enough to chase you from the room. Sounded great, mid range was a bit flat that's about all. Guess like all these cheap chink things it is pot luck. You may be right, folk have blamed the 220v transformers but I have no idea what my actual mains was at the time, The Amos I tried were a bit lightweight on sound but very silky. For the money they were amazing. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2019 0:42:28 GMT
I spent Saturday listening to mine using both my mobile and my cd player with my vintage Sennheiser HD 424s. Found the same thing with both.
Image-wise, there was no difference in terms of what was happening left & right. Centrally, the sound was a bit more solid and homogenised (no doubt due to the cross coupling). It did have a certain appeal with the mono tracks I listened to. With detailed stereo tracks though there was an obvious loss of edge and top-end detail, just like switching in a HF filter.
In the listing it mentions that it can be used unidirectionally, but when I tried it would only work on the left channel so I don't know if mine could be faulty. In any event, I'll be returning mine
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 4, 2019 7:19:32 GMT
Sounds like yours may have an issue, as mine does work both ways. I also found there was a bit more HF rather than less. Now all I have to do is remember where the hack I have put mine!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 16, 2019 17:15:45 GMT
I think Sonneteer should make their own headphone amp. Just a good simple high quality one.
S.
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,063
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Post by Bigman80 on Apr 16, 2019 23:05:32 GMT
I think that would be a great idea. I’m sure they could get a good deal,of business from one and it would bring a bit of finesse to headphone listening.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2019 13:27:41 GMT
I got this yesterday (bought from EBay) and have been playing with it. It’s basically a device for adding extra illusion of space to headphone listening. Given that this is my main problem with headphone listening, I was always going to have a punt. It’s also from Sonneteer and costs under £15, so it was a no brainer. I have a setting on the Sound processor that does just that  |
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Bigman80
Grandmaster
AA Founding Member & Bigbottle Audio Creator
Posts: 16,063
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Post by Bigman80 on May 11, 2019 12:48:22 GMT
I’ve been using this quite a bit lately. It’s a better thing than I initially realised. Taking it away is an absolute no-no for me now.
What does it do to music? Well it’s similar to what speakers that don’t fire straight at you do, It stops that feeling of being direct in the firing line (which is a real turn-off for me). With Grados it takes them more in the direction of other headphones. They lose a little of their forthrightness but in return they stop being fatiguing and seem to have a smoother top end and fuller bass. More balanced is a good description. It’s definitely a less intense experience but ultimately more enjoyable and more able to let you relax.
For £15 I’m well chuffed with it. Not quite as big a bargain as Geoff’s Breeze Audio TPA3116 amp but then I doubt much else is.
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Post by antonio on May 11, 2019 15:30:13 GMT
Pleased you're enjoying it. I very rarely seem to listen with headphones at the moment.
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