Headphone Talk: Darkvoice THA332 headphone amplifier Sennheiser HD-650 headphones

Headphone Talk IV: Darkvoice THA332 headphone amplifier
Sennheiser HD-650 headphones
Follow-up: YBA WD-202 headphone output
 
Official website (in Chinese)
Official website (in English)

As I wrote in Chapter I of my Headphone Talk, my good friend Andrew loaned me his two Darkvoice 黑嗓 headphone amps. It wasn't until recently that I hooked up the smaller of the two, the discontinued (though still available from the net) THA332. I must say I like the older looks better than the aluminum sported by some newer models. I fed it the trusted Sony DVP-PR50P.

Although Darkvoice has a good reputation in the head-fi circle, the brand has not received attention from the commercial press, and formal reviews are lacking. For the 332, only a few comments could be found.

Tube Complement Input stage uses the 6J1 pentode. For tube rolling, EF95/6AK5/5654/CV4010/M8100 are are good, but the Western Electric 403A is necessarily the most desirable. The loan unit uses the WE403A. Output stage uses the 6C19 pentode (compatible with 6AQ5), and in this unit the stock tube is used.

AKG K701 vs Sennheiser HD-650 Lately I have been using the K701 with mostly the headphone output of my YBA WD-202 DAC. I have been contented with the musical sound, but the Darkvoice trumps it in terms of air, resolution and dynamics. However, despite the better bass on offer a little of the slightly lean character of the K701 remains. Knowing that the Darkvoice likely was designed with high impedance phones (some say the Sennheiser) I switched in the venerable HD-650, and there is little question the Sennheiser scaled greater heights. I haven't listened to the HD-650 much, but my impression is that it is quite similar to the HD-600, which I own. As the HD-600 tends to be a little woolly and unresolved in the bass I was surprised by how the HD-650 was driven by the Darkvoice. Compared to the K701 there is much better bass presentation - clean too! So I agree with those who said the Darkvoice should be used with high impedance cans if possible (though its performance with K701 is still eminently satisfying).

Editor's Note: 2011 in Retrospective

Editor's Note: 2011 in Retrospective
Brief Reviews Manley Magico Shindo Fosgate M-Audio

Second Revision 22/06/2014 (on the Shindo Entry)
First Revision 13/01/2012 (on the Shindo entry)

This year's retrospective is different in that some of the stuff I cite have not been written up by myself yet, so I offer some brief reviews here. I have been a little busy lately and I hope in the next week I shall catch up with more of the backlog. Stay tuned!

Year of the Tannoy Canterbury Indeed, 2011 was year of the Canterbury, as far as this writer is concerned. Three friends have acquired the Canterbury SE, and I hope we have a happy future together.

Most Notable Event of the Year Rehabilitation of my Garrard 301 by my dear friend Robin the Scott.

pic of Magico courtesy of JCR33; click to enlarge.

Best Sound of 2011
Well, as I have mentioned before, the best overall sound, for the second year in a row, remains my NYC friend AL's magnificent Infinity setup (write-up here, not be confused with AL-HK, the jazz-wine connoisseur), and that's unlikely to change any time soon.

But this year I have heard several formidable setups, from which I have picked a handful. The first two by older masters were simply impeccable, disarming on hearing the first note. The ones that followed were yet imperfect, yet impressive and harboring huge potentials:

• First must be counted AL's new horn system now being set up just outside his kitchen. As of two months ago it was using mostly professional, and reasonably priced, JBL drivers. yet the sound as driven by 300B amp already bettered almost all of the JBL systems I have heard in HK (except the one below). In a short time, I suspect it may usurp Infinity's place in the upstairs salon. I am positive you shall hear a lot more about this in the future, when master AL is ready for the system to show to the world.

• Equally captivating was Mr Ng's JBL+Altec system. A master whom I shall re-visit soon.

• Magico Ultimate horn system, as heard at HK dealer Sound Chamber (the same setup Romy the Cat heard). A brief write-up is due. I thank JCR33 for getting us to hear these behemoths, as the demo pair left for China soon after.

• Our friend welborne's Bastanis Atlas Mandala setup (write-up here). I understand they are being updated, so I look forward to the next audition.

• Robin the Scot's impressive Reel-to-Reel demonstrations must count as a memorable event! We miss him, and wish him well in Taipei!

Most Important Acquisitions
There were several. Most important were three very different preamps.

• Manley Neo-Classic 300B preamp (left pic can be enlarged by clicking on it) While the 300B SE/PP amp (which is excellent, I have used it before) of Manley's wonderful and statement-level Neo-Classics series has received many reviews and much accolade, its companion 300B Preamp has had quite a low profile. There are no reviews from the major English audio press. You can find reviews from hometheaterhifi, Audio Video Revolution and Image HiFi (in German). I suspect this is because of its ungainly nature, built like a tank and resembling more a serious amplifier. I ran into an irresistible bargain and acquired it brand new. It is absolutely outstanding and there shall be a detailed review in the future.

• Shindo Monbrison I actually acquired this older version more than a year ago. The fellow who sold it to me claimed it was the unit reviewed in 6moons. I have no problem with the reviewer's sonic assessment, but he made some mistakes in describing the tube complement. This is not the place for rectification; that shall be done in my coming full review. It took me long to get it going because, contrary to the seller's statement on the unit's health, all the tubes that came with the unit were almost completely spent. Fortunately the ECL84/6DX8 used in the linestage of my unit are inexpensive and available on Ebay, while I already have good EF86's (used in the phono stage) in stock. After re-tubing, the sound is quite dramatic, with great presence, a good match for horns. You shall hear more about this in the future. Revision Note: A FULL Shindo Monbrison report finally been written. Please click here.

• Leben RS28CX preamp Again, a full function preamp that stands up to the other illustrious preamps that I have. Suffice to say it serves me daily in HK! Review here.

• Fosgate Signature Phonoamp (click pics to enlarge) The next item is yet another preamp, but for the phono. Ever since it came out it has garnered much attention, including a review in TAS. There is also a nice review in Audio Beat. This is one of those rare phono preamps with a fully active MC pre-pre section. As noted in the Audio Beat review, the 60 db gain for MC may be a little low for some people but it is perfectly fine in my case, even with the very-low-output Denon DL-304 (0.2 mV), since I mostly use preamps with high gain and efficient speakers. I am happy to report tube rolling is a breeze as the phonoamp does not seen to run the tubes unduly hard and many NOS tubes sound quiet in it. One thing that puzzles me about the industrial design: the two round cans flanking the tubes lead one to think they are input transformers; no, they aren't, this is a strictly active device and those are for decorations only. Incidentally, I think there is a new 10% price hike, but you can still find many selling at the original price of USD 2500. Review later.

Best Buys of the Year
Not surprisingly, digital products comprise half of my nominations. It is quite amazing how good cheap digital products are now. Why buy over-priced and over-rated stuff like Weiss?

• Elekit TU-875 preamp and TU-8230 amp If you can solder, Elekit is it. Bargain of the Century. Reviewed here.

• YBA WD202 DAC This inexpensive and wonderful DAC give meaning to the word music. Reviewed in my last article.

• Musical Fidelity M1 DAC Better than it has a right to be. Reviewed here. I am curious about MF's V-Link now.

• M-Audio Firewire Solo (click on pics to enlarge) You may be surprised by this inclusion. As you know, I dabble in CAS but it is just a marginal medium for me. I have long bought this very cheap device and did intend to write it up, but it was never a priority. M-Audio is a highly respected pro-sound company that makes cheap and great stuff. For less than $200 you can have a firewire DAC-ADC capable device that can serve both as a preamp via its analog out and headphone amp! Here are some reviews from Sweetwater and the excellent French Audiofanzine. I bought it because my dinosaur Dell laptop, which weighs a ton and should not be deemed portable, has a firewire output! I tested it two years ago with the super-bargain Sony DVP-PR50P and Audioengine A2 active speakers. I burned several CDs using lossless WAV format. The sound could not be faulted, even in comparison with the Sony's superb analogue out. I also tested its earphone output with my Audio Technica ATH-AD700 headphone and an old Sennheiser, and the sound was equally superb. The control software installed without a hitch and is easy and intuitive to use. The manual is clear and detailed. What more can you ask for such a paltry sum? I then shelved it for more than a year, so that alone was not enough for me to write it up. What prompted me to write this up now is because I lent it to my friend Tony 唐咭柯德 and his feedback is highly positive. Mind you, this is a man who has engaged in CAS extensively, and has numerous (mostly USB) devices in his systems, including Linn Majik DS. Basically, he thinks the M-Audio came out ahead. Why should you buy expensive things like Weiss, which I have heard several times and regard as good but way over-priced? Note that this device is 24/96 only, but M-Audio makes a 24/192 Pro 610. If any reader has used that, I'd be happy to hear from you. Note also it has only phone jack connectors, so adapters are necessary if you intend to use RCA or XLR. If you have firewire output, seriously consider M-Audio! But if you are a Mac user, research Mac issues, including at M-Audio's own forum.

• AQVOX 2CI MkII A fantastic phonoamp, but perhaps not for everyone. Reviewed here.

• Vibrapods Good isolation devices on the cheap (briefly reviewed here).

• Belden 8471 Great speaker cables at giveaway prices, reviewed here.

• Audioengine A2 active loudspeakers Review here. I hereby redress my previous failure to include it in my Best Buy 2010.

Vintage Best-Buys

• Technics SP-10 What a marvelous turntable! It makes you think twice (just a little) about suspension and idler wheel designs. My experience here.

• Denon AU-1000 step-up transformer. If you ask me, it stands up to the very best. Not cheap, but still a bargain. Reviewed here.

Rediscoveries
This is a new feature this year, and it is long due. Often in pursuit of the new we forget what we already had experienced. Re-visit your old favorites and it can be a surprise as your system improves!

• Empire cartridges If you have one, listen to it! You may be surprised! My experience here.

• Lehmann Black Cube If you are a vinyl newbie, or simply need another phonoamp, think about this one. It decisively trounced the Ray Samuels Black hawk during our recent tests. The old version is likely as good as the newer ones and a good buy at bargain price.

Review: YBA WD202

Review: YBA WD202 DAC
Overview: YBA

I shall not mince words. This is a wonderful DAC with a quite distinctive sound. I think I can pick it out from a crowd.

Status of YBA
According to the web, Chinese manufacturer Shanling (a good company in my book), said to have long been majority shareholder of YBA, bought the remaining shares in early 2010, but have retained the service of Monsieur Andre.

The official website, now revived, makes no mention of this fact. You shall note that YBA has 3 levels of products. Top-of-the-line is the Signature series, which has retained its classic looks (and I hope the good sound I have heard before) and is rumored to be still made in France. The Passion series is one tier below, extension of their more recent efforts (I'd guess made in China now?). In the HK AV Show recently I spotted the new look, ghastly in my opinion.

WD202 DAC
The WD202 DAC belongs to the budget DESIGN series (which has its own website), made in China but they look better than the Passion series! All products sport a solidly milled case with three-pronged support instead of the usual four rubber feet. Assembly is intricate and you have been warned that removing the case to take a glance at the innards is a risky proposal.

The WD202 is full in features and has been rave reviewed. The Stereophile review is excellent and extensive. Read also the Techradar review and goodsound.

Initial Impressions "...The most special thing about it is the way it "speaks"...Most CDPs and DACs sound more similar than dissimilar. In my experience, very few DACs sound distinctive. I know people are going to trudge out the absolute sound/neutrality thing, but as any vinyl person would know, each good sound has a personality. Early Naim digital is also memorable in this regard...As soon as I plugged in the YBA, I was shocked by its personality. It "speaks"! It gives punctuation to music, makes the musician's phrasing easy to follow. comm-buddy says its quite analogue and indeed it is...It is not often I call up people to talk about a DAC. With this one, I called up 2 people..." (posted in R33)

More What is it that intrigued me? Techradar has nailed it: it is the way the YBA handles microdynamics and rhythm and pace, way beyond what we usually hear in a digital player. All of a sudden, you can hear all the stressed beats effortlessly. This kind of replay enlivens a track like Take Five from Brubeck's Time Out. Focusing on Morello's drums, the bad CD player can make the strong beats only that little louder than the weak ones; the average CD player gives you an approximation of the playing; but the truly outstanding player, like the YBA (or an old Naim, say the CD2), makes you aware of the infinite dynamic shading and brings out the full flow. Whatever the CD, the YBA delivers the music in spades. In my system, the bass has a slight tendency to be a little ripe, but the way it moves is excellent. It is a cliche to praise digital gears as analog-like, but if a piece of gear qualifies for that term, the YBA is it.

There is very good detail and soundstage, possibly superior to the Musical Fidelity M1 I praised previously, but the two players cannot have more different sounds. In comparison, sonic images of the M1 are more spotlit and leaner, the rhythm not as felicitous. When it comes to ability to play loud I feel the YBA trumped the M1, hence here I take issue with Techradar's review.

USB In and Other Impressions I loaned it to my friend com-buddy to try out the CAS. He did, and more (posted in R33)...

"...Totally amazing performance and very high price/performance ratio. Sound is pretty analog (which is a must to reduce the harsh CAS sound). Good details and accurate. At this price, what else I can say?..."

"...I have tried to use the coaxial out from the Wd202 to feed into another DAC..Amazingly, It improves the sound for the other DAC a lot(20-30%). I think the jitter has been reduced by the buffering of the coaxial out. (editor's note: this is corroborated by fellow R33 mate chkwan:"...I have connected the Coaxial out from WD202 to my Aqvox II and my friend's Northstar. Both have very significant improvement. If anyone has more than 1 DAC, why not to give a try...I have discovered it many months ago and emailed to YBA to ask if it can be used to reduce the jitter, but they did not give me any answer...")

"...this decent YBA WD202 performs like a $20K+ dac with fool-proof operation...may jeopardize some self-claim superior designed DIY trader's business..."

"...After another month of usage of this fabulous DAC, I found it is improving after a one month non-power-off torture. Without losing the original analog taste of sound, it offers even more details and textures on every note. Piano just sounds more piano. Nothing more and nothing less..."

Testing system :
CD-- Studer A734 Limited (original Pikatron transformer output) ; Arcam D137 (Haufe transformer output)
CAS--Compaq notebook
Preamp: Revox B286; Telefunken STP-1.
Amp: Dynaudioacoustics T1000; Klein Hummel SB280.
Speakers: Dynaudio D40 3 way floorstanding. Revox Studio MK-IV 3 way bookshelf.

"...This little inexpensive DAC is just too much fun...."

Headphone Amp I have not yet tried out the earphone output.

Conclusion
A killer and a bargain. In the US this sells for around $800, but I think price may drop later, because in HK this sells for around USD 500. I suspect the difference may reflect clearance. Given the sea changes at YBA I'd wait if not in a hurry. No matter, even at list price it is a must for audition.

Brief Note on Audio Refinement Audio Refinement is a Taiwanese company that used to collaborate with YBA. It is not clear whether YBA still has ties with it now that the company is sold to the China PRC. Many years ago I heard one of their CD players. It did not at all give me any of the feelings I have with the WD202.

Below pic: Innards of the WD202 from Greek website AVMentor: