Nae pockets in a Shroud as my old mam used to say....
(He says...having broke his own "time to draw the horns in" rule) :)
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Nae pockets in a Shroud as my old mam used to say....
(He says...having broke his own "time to draw the horns in" rule) :)
A monkey on a pair of cans is salty by anyone's reckoning. But by fuck what a noise going into my noggin. JM nearly had me greatin with mister mister!!!
Liking the festive avatar Gaz :thumbsup:
Aye it covers up some of his mush :lol:
Hoi! :)
hose and bitches...
Welcome to the high-end headphone club :).Quote:
Originally Posted by wee tee cee
Blew my sons digs money on a Caiman 2 Last night.....the Capella and 700s have really made me think about getting the most out of my time listening to music. My missus is super pissed-its gonae cost me big time!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by StanleyB
All kidding aside, bang for buck a good headphone rig is the best window to music your going to get- treat yourself, your a long time dead!!!!!
Cant argue with that... :)
In a hair product type of sense.....because Im worth it!!!!!
Sennheiser...cos your worth it.
Beats by Dr Dre...cos your worthless. :)
Majik.....
Excellent...'Beats Bashing'!!!!...people won't take advice, perhaps ridicule is the only way to go ;)
Has anyone tried the Capella with AKG 701/702s?
And finally Stan, I presume you're currently 'out of stock' with regard to the Capella
I use the K701 with the Capella some of the time. I doubt that you can get the K701 to sound any or much better than the Capella is capable of doing. The K701 is completely transformed into a genuine quality listening device with proper bass.Quote:
Originally Posted by WAD62
I am already selling the 2nd production. The first one ran out last weekend. One of the most popular items that I have ever sold so many of in less than a month. Order today and you might get it tomorrow, or Saturday.
Superlux 330s have really suprised me with the Capella. Foams removed and velvet pads they really get close to my Senns for a fraction of the price-the tunability of the Capella is very effective.
Received my Caiman 2 today, quite a combo!!!!
[QUOTE=wee tee cee;605075]Blew my sons digs money on a Caiman 2 Last night.....the Capella and 700s have really made me think about getting the most out of my time listening to music. My missus is super pissed-its gonae cost me big time!!!!QUOTE]
I thought that your recent spending was due to a win on the post code lottery.
...ordered!!! :DQuote:
Originally Posted by StanleyB
With a bit of luck it will be with you tomorrow :).
Hi Stan, I'm planning to use an old maplins linear PSU with it, identical to the one that's driving my Caiman II, I presume this will be suitable (1200MA/12V)...Quote:
Originally Posted by StanleyB
I'm spoiled for choice as to where I'll use it...
Option 1 (Bedroom) ; SB3, Caiman2 (line out RCA), Capella as pre, AKG 702, Muse M21 EX2
Option 2 (Main Room) ; SBTouch, MDAC (L2 Toy, @ 0db), TC-7240 A/B, Capella, AKG 702
Option 3 (Kitchen) ; SBTouch, HiFimeDIY U2, Capella as pre, AKG 702, Mini-1 (power only)
Option 4 (Work) ; Laptop/Winamp, iFi DSD Nano, Capella, AGK 550
So plenty to play with over Xmas, It's a hard life...:eyebrows:
I know of at least one customer who is using the Maplin linear PSU with the Capella. He has even emailed me to find out what parts to upgrade in the PSU. He thinks that it sounds better on bass than the Anker battery that he also uses. But that's just one person expressing his personal opinion. Maybe you'll be able to add some more weight to the Maplin PSU discussion after you have had the chance to try it out for yourself.
Hi Stan, the maplins PSU I'm referring to is the now unavailable VN10L...I had several for my now unused SB receivers.
Quick correction, it only goes up to 12V, which is what the Caiman is set to...not sure if this link will work
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ma...%3B1024%3B1024
Save your money. There is no way in hell or on earth that the SMPS VN10L has better noise and performance figures than the one I helped to design for my products.
I don't even believe that you can find another SMPS on the market that has a better noise performance than the Caiman and Capella SMPS. A lot of medical and house alarm equipment manufacturers are now buying this PSU from the factory due to the quality of its performance.
Hi Stan, the current VN10L is indeed a SMPS, however its predecessor was not...it's a shame they changed, and also confusing that they used the same part number.Quote:
Originally Posted by StanleyB
You'll find that the image I've linked to is the original linear one, the next button will show you the current SMPS one, different animals...and I won't be wasting my money as I already bought it for £12, 4 years ago ;)
Anyone thinking of getting a Capella for delivery within Europe is advised to do that before the end of this month. I just received notification from the case manufacturer that his charges are going up from the new year. I got enough stock of cases for things like the TC-7534 and TC-7220. So they should be OK for a while. But I need to place an order for more Capella cases. They are individually cut by laser, so the cost is quite high for small production runs like mine. But I fear for the TC-7533. The price increase of the case would soon make it uneconomical to make and sell the BMII at its current price. I need a solution, and quickly.
[QUOTE=StanleyB;605451]I wish!!!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by wee tee cee
Sometimes you have to be good to yourself.....you never get a day back!!!
Capella has arrived and is burning in nicely...
My doubts about where to place the Capella have been easily resolved, it is the natural partner for the Caiman II, the ability to power the Caiman via the DC power out of the Capella is a nice touch Stanley!
I've only had a brief chance to listen on my K702s, but long enough to realise what I'd been missing, I've not heard anything like that on headphones before...Wow!!!
It'll be interesting to see the various settings people are using with their respective headphones...:eyebrows:
DT770 Pro 80 Ohm
Gain is just after 9 pm
Damping middle
hf is just after 9 pm
Depth full left
I tend to set the volume to 12 o clock then set the other parameters according to taste/cans.
Senn 650s i use quite a lot of HF maybe 4 o clock, damping two clicks/gain 11 o clock. depth 10 o clock (redbandmusic cable required far less HF)
Senn 700s HF 12 o clock/damping 3 clicks/less gain than the 650s they are easier to drive/depth about 2 o clock.
Superlux 660/440/330 seem to like a bit of gain/HF rolled almost off/damping on max/depth on minimum.
I really like the tunability offered and the ability to stay off the grid powering both from one battery.
My Capella is starting to really settle down sonically.....I think its either getting louder OR producing so much detail Im not compensating with volume!
Usual caveat my ears/tunes/cans....
Hi Tony - thanks for clarifying your settings. My Capella with HD650s is more or less on the same settings as yours (although my HF is quite a bit less than yours). I will experiment tonight with winding the wick up on HF !
I think you are right about the evolving sound of the Capella (swear it sounds better every time I listen to it). Burn in seems to be a factor with the Capella just like my previous Beresford DACs.
Hi Tony,
Your point regarding less volume but still retaining detail is well made. I too noticed this after about a week. Glad to know that I'm not alone. BTW your 650 settings spot on.
Happy listening .
Merry Christmas to all.
T12:santa:
I have my Capella up and running for 5 minutes now and my first impressions are that my beyerdynamics DT990 Pro (250 ohm) sounds the very same as it does when plugged directly into my BM2, only a little bit more spacious and with more volume. I hope that the sound improves over time.
I guess it needs some breaking in.
That is a very important observation. I paid a lot of attention with the design of the Capella that it should be totally transparent where possible so that most or all of the signature from the original source can shine through. So a different sounding source plugged into the Capella will also sound different through the headphones due to the transparent nature of the Capella's design.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fi-Wi
The thing that attracted my attention when I tried out other headphone amps in the past is that they more often than not ruined the original signature of the source equipment. So every source plugged into them sounded more or less the same. That's not what I was looking for. If someone just spent say £1000 to replace a £100 source then I would like to think that they can hear the difference between the two when the Capella is used for A/B testing. The Capella is not designed to take over the show and inject its own version of events. There are loads more headphone amps on the market that can do that far cheaper.
I regarded the BM2/HD650 as as pretty much spot on. I enjoyed it for a couple of years and couldn't justify changing. I got my Capella and in short order moved to a Caiman 2 and HD700s. No ifs or buts--- if you enjoy listening to music on cans-it moves the game on period!Quote:
Originally Posted by Fi-Wi
It will ask some difficult questions of every component in your chain-but that's our hobby,extracting maximum enjoyment out of the music we love.
Most folk couldn't give a flying fuck.
I have ended up using the Capella with the Caiman as well when listening to my HD800 or D7000 headphones. The extra definition and detail from the Caiman shines through a lot better with my more expensive cans. The HD650 and K701 are quite happy with the BMII though.
I don't know if it is me or if it is a genuine observation, but I seem to get a better vibe when powering the Capella and Caiman via one of my old car battery. The battery measures about 14V with the two items plugged in.
I notice a slight drop off in performance when the battery drops to about 12.2v. Time for me to swap batteries and put the tired one on the car charger. Less so when just using the cans on the Capella/CM2 which lasts for ages with the solar panel. The Temple mono blocks on the full rig draw an awful lot more juice. My batteries are in my unheated cellar which aint helping at this time of year.
I have been listeningtothrough my Capella for about 20 hours now and find them very transparent indeed. A/B switch-testing between the Capella and the BM II confirms this.
Initially I thought the impact of this HF-amp would be more dramatic but I now hear that its role is much more subtle. What I really enjoy is that I no longer listen to my cans playing music to my ears but I actually experience every musical performance it presents. Classical, jazz, pop and chant are very spacious/3-dimensional and every single instrument and voice is in proportion and not intrusive. Also, the Capella (unlike the BM II) reveals little to none hissing with voices.
I played with various setting of hf/damping/depth but did not (yet) hear any differences with my beyer DT-990 Pro cans (250 ohm). Gain is the only setting that has an impact on what I hear. I followed the manual and turned the volume knob almost to its maximum and tempered the loudness by setting the gain. I guess hf/damping/depth could make/makes a noticable difference when you use headphones that are generally hard to drive but I understand from the manual that these settings are only supposed to take off the edges if necessary.
All-in all I am a happy listener.
Big thanks to Stanley! It is very nice to have someone around - in this case even permanently - explaining to you in detail how he designed a device, addressed previous issues etc., and giving advice. Happens very very rarely. Practically I am absolutely new to headphones, have only been using Koss Porta Pro with my smartphone commuting to work. Otherwise I have a very good setup that was complemented with the M2Tech small trio (see below) - battery power supply, clock generator, USB interface. The USB interface is fed into a valve DAC. The primary source is a HDD that now holds a large part of my music collection and for the first time in history I (and we all) have instant access (several clicks) to any track or album. Hence, I decided it would be interesting if I add headphones - to have another mode of listening, be able to listen at night, etc.
I got the Philips Fidelio X2 headphones as a Christmas gift, haven't received them yet. Then I looked around for headphone amps and came across the Capella. I wonder if the impedance of the Fidelio X2, 30 Ohm, would pose any issue and whether headphones with such an impedance need an amp at all. Thanks in advance.
:scratch: . Why would 30 Ohms pose an issue? I don't think that Philips would have brought out a 30 Ohms headphone if it would be difficult to get sound out of it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jankoff
You need some sort of signal amplification to get sound out of any headphone. In general, you'll get a better sound and performance with a headphone amp instead of the headphone socket from say an iPhone.
Thank you, Maestro! :) I have no technical qualification but I like to read and I have many years of experience with hi-fi - and ears ...
Now I realize I asked a stupid question. I didn't have a smartphone in mind but the headphone inputs of some devices that I have - amps, old cassette decks, CD writers. I know they give different results - some cope better. But I also have a valve preamp (standard) that interestingly says on its front that it is "an earphone amplifier". I thought this might be good for the Fidelio - although it might simply be a printing (engraving) error of some sort. I have been using this for many years as a standard preamp.
Baffled, consulted a friend of mine who is in the hi-fi business. He talked me out of the idea of using this preamp for headphones, explaining things I didn't understand, and drew my attention to the Capella. Proposed to place an order for me, I agreed. Will do it soon - may have already done it.
So, after receiving the amp and the Fidelio, I will hopefully have better questions to ask :)
Looking forward to getting the gadgets and starting playing with them ... :cool:
Yes! Yes! Yes! The Capella arrived!
Unfortunately, I still haven't got the Fidelio - who is to marry the Capella. :D
Oh, the Capella! Not only is she a beauty, she sings! :D
Listened for minutes only, had to leave for work. Tomorrow further tests with lower grade headphones and burning-in starts. Will report in due time.
Thanks once again, Stanley! My friend Plamen Momchilov, who suggested and provided the Capella, is also very impressed and would like to collaborate with you, also with other products.
Plug the capella in to my main system using the preamp..Well:eyebrows:That is one excellent preamp leaving it in their for now ...How do you do it for the price stan?..BTW stan how about just a dac with out a preamp built in... and headphones?..Anything in the pipe line?;)
jon
I am a mug :doh: :D.Quote:
Originally Posted by jon1
Is there a market for such an item though? An excellent sounding one would easily cost more than the CaimanII to build. But current day expectations from that sort of price range expects just about everything to be included. But something have to give for that price. It's sound quality or feature packed. I am not into that kind of quantity sales to justify the R&D costs involved as far as adding features such as remote, DSD, etc. If it is built from a less complicated design it won't outperform the Caiman. And then there is the issue of USB. Not everyone needs it, but it adds at least 20% to the cost of a DAC.Quote:
..BTW stan how about just a dac with out a preamp built in... and headphones?..Anything in the pipe line?;)
I would have liked the option to order the Caiman II with a 2nd coax connection instead of the USB.
Stan,
Your mailbox is full. I'm trying to send you a PM. :)
Sorted now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Canetoad
I use the Capella as an active pre in my set up...Its very good indeed. A few of the troops have heard it at my place and purchased one off the back of what they heard. I run it and my whole system on battery power.
It has proved to be a very good partner to a number of t amps and my valve monos.
With a great delay, the Fidelio, who was to marry the Capella (see my previous post), arrived yesterday. The day before it arrived, I read a review of it, just published, http://www.techradar.com/reviews/aud...1281316/review A rave review!
But let me tell you what happened before that.
Meanwhile I had to test the Capella anyway, and did this with a pair of old and inexpensive (compared to the Fidelio) headphones, Beyerdynamic DT331. I had used these for many years and knew what they can do - without a headphone amp, that is. From the first moment I hooked them to the Capella, their sound dramatically transformed to the better - as if I had made a significant headphones upgrade.
Yes! The Capella rocks! :cool: And the tweaks in the Capella proved very useful, especially as the DT331 turned out very difficult to drive.
Yesterday, after the Fidelio-Capella marriage took place, from the very start the duo provided everything considered of essence in hi-fi/hi-end: very good overall dynamics; punch and bang solid yet pleasant; good highs as well as lows - highs smooth enough, not fatiguing, bass deep and well defined; voices and instruments pleasant and true to life, very good separation between them; good staging; good overall detail. Whatever I can think of, you name it, the duo has it. The problem is, I cannot say which of the two devices offers more contribution to the sound - whether the amp or the headphones. Probably both in equal measure. Of course, what I am saying is about a state in which both devices are new, with practically no burning-in. And another necessary note. The test was made with a decent but inexpensive SACD player as an analogue source (special interconnect, of course), presently available. I know what will happen to the sound when I connect the duo to my first setup - see the sources below, plus quality amplification, all the special cables (digital, analogue, power), the power-cleaning device, the platinum wall socket, the special anti-vibration gadgets, etc. :D :D But this will be due to the setup.
In any case, I am completely satisfied. I realize I have made two very good purchases. Even if the sound of the duo remains the same after burning-in, I will continue to be completely satisfied. If it improves, well, you know ... :D Great news not to have to buy another similar thing. For some time, that is ... :D
Bravo, Stanley! Bravo, Philips!
:mex::grouphug::rave::more:
Enjoy..;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jankoff
jon
Hi, Could you give me some advice on what is the best way to power the Capella, I received one a few days ago and the standard power supply seems a bit cheap to be using it with this AMP, My question is could this be run off a Motorcycle battery and give better results, I did read about someone on hear that was using a bike battery but not sure who it is, I want to try to run it some way with a battery rather than spend on an expensive power supply, The battery I was thinking of using is a Honda cbr600rr which is 12volts, Could you give me ant advice.
Regard Neil
Hi, Could you give me some advice on what is the best way to power the Capella, I received one a few days ago and the standard power supply seems a bit cheap to be using it with this AMP, My question is could this be run off a Motorcycle battery and give better results, I did read about someone on hear that was using a bike battery but not sure who it is, I want to try to run it some way with a battery rather than spend on an expensive power supply, The battery I was thinking of using is a Honda cbr600rr which is 12volts, Could you tell me if this would be worth using as a preamp with a Nad c325bee using the power amp
Regard Neil