[ALL EARS]

Thanks again HeadphoneAddict , the only thing with all this is when purchasing you have to know someone with the equipment or you just have to rely on expert advise, i checked on D1O they are out of stock just have to wait as i am waiting on the imod/ipod version amphora while i have you here i am putting this desktop system together for home office retreat kinda place,with 4 kids in the house i need a hideout, there
i will rip & listen to music,xbox movie watching, my next question is a pair of bookshelf/near field speakers with a $1000 budget for them and use them for the fore mentioned. do you or anybody have any suggestions.... i looked at headrooms desktop package and i have about the same budget as there system $6000 could i do better piecing
my system together or is headrooms desktop package a darn good deal thanks for any thoughts what would you guys do with a budget of $6000 for a desktop rig............ i am ALL EARS.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALL EARS /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks again HeadphoneAddict , the only thing with all this is when purchasing you have to know someone with the equipment or you just have to rely on expert advise, i checked on D1O they are out of stock just have to wait as i am waiting on the imod/ipod version amphora while i have you here i am putting this desktop system together for home office retreat kinda place,with 4 kids in the house i need a hideout, there i will rip & listen to music,xbox movie watching, my next question is a pair of bookshelf/near field speakers with a $1000 budget for them and use them for the fore mentioned. do you or anybody have any suggestions.... i looked at headrooms desktop package and i have about the same budget as there system $6000 could i do better piecing my system together or is headrooms desktop package a darn good deal thanks for any thoughts what would you guys do with a budget of $6000 for a desktop rig............ i am ALL EARS.

You can get a very good headphone/speaker rig from headroom and be very happy. I own the Micro DAC be Micro Amp, and have tried a balanced desktop amp at a meet and it was all good. I would not rule them out for your needs.

The amphora can be use as a preamp to drive a speaker amp as well, or sound self powered Audio Engine speakers from ALO Audio. You just need a nice DAC and you're all set.

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidhunternyc /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wish the knob were made out of wood too or a kind of metal where the shape and color didn't clash with the wooden body so much. Maybe a knob that is a bit more shallow rather than sticking out so far.

The knob is the perfect size for this amp. It's a Goldpoint, man, not a Woodpoint!

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif The knob is the perfect size for this amp. It's a Goldpoint, man, not a Woodpoint!

You said woodpoint!

 

[KB]

The Amphora was officially added to the ALO website


Regards,

 

[mrarroyo]

Ken, would you please explain how the built in dock station works? Specifically if the V-Caps are installed w/ or w/o the dock. Thanks.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ken, would you please explain how the built in dock station works? Specifically if the V-Caps are installed w/ or w/o the dock. Thanks.

The vcaps are installed with or without the built-in dock. So, you could use a normal LOD-RCA cable (or a LOD-mini) without caps and connect an iMod to a non-dock Amphora.

You could also connect an iMod to the RCA input of a dock capable Amphora, without needing the blackgates in the cable (the only reason to do that is if the LOD cable has a charging capability). I happen to have a normal LOD with USB port on it so I can plug iMod into an Amphora and charge, so I don't need a dock capable Amphora and I don't need to add caps to my LOD.

I have 90 hours on Zimm's Amphora and it still sounds very good. Pushing for 200 hours still...

 

[mrarroyo]

Thanks Larry, now I am confused. I thought the V-Caps were there to block the dc from the iMod, if I connect a Non iModded iPod or a cd-player won't the V-Caps deteriorate the sound? Sorry but I am confused.

 

[sbulack]

Vinnie has touched on a response to this concern (multiple caps, including the Vcaps in the Amphora):

ALO/ Red Wine Audio Desk Top Headphone Amp (Amphora) W/ PHOTOS - Page 2 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

He basically says, "Try it, you might like it". So, the real question is: has anyone with an iPod/iMod Amphora tried it with both an iMod and an unmodded iPod? Or, has anyone with a Standard Amphora tried it with an iMod with iMod LOD or iPod (extra caps) and an iMod with regular LOD (only the Amphora's Vcaps)? How do the two compare? Would you describe the path with extra caps as providing a degradation of sound quality?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks Larry, now I am confused. I thought the V-Caps were there to block the dc from the iMod, if I connect a Non iModded iPod or a cd-player won't the V-Caps deteriorate the sound? Sorry but I am confused.

The better the caps, the more transparent they are - and Vcaps or other large caps like the Jensen Copper Foil caps need to be burned-in to be their most transparent. So, with ANY source, as the Vcaps in the signal path burn-in the sound will improve. It took my maxed WA6 600-800 hours to burn-in the Vcaps and Blackgates.


Quote:

Originally Posted by sbulack /img/forum/go_quote.gif Vinnie has touched on a response to this concern (multiple caps, including the Vcaps in the Amphora): ALO/ Red Wine Audio Desk Top Headphone Amp (Amphora) W/ PHOTOS - Page 2 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio He basically says, "Try it, you might like it". So, the real question is: has anyone with an iPod/iMod Amphora tried it with both an iMod and an unmodded iPod? Or, has anyone with a Standard Amphora tried it with an iMod with iMod LOD or iPod (extra caps) and an iMod with regular LOD (only the Amphora's Vcaps)? How do the two compare? Would you describe the path with extra caps as providing a degradation of sound quality?

I have two very nice iMod LOD to RCA cables (one ALO, one barqy) that I can try later with this dock-included Amphora. So I can hear the difference between the iMod with only the caps in the amphora via built-in dock, and with the caps in the cable + those Amphora.

 

[Vinnie R.]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks Larry, now I am confused. I thought the V-Caps were there to block the dc from the iMod, if I connect a Non iModded iPod or a cd-player won't the V-Caps deteriorate the sound? Sorry but I am confused.

Hi mrarroyo,

The V-caps on the input are part of the Amphora design - independent of the iMod. Without these caps, dc voltage would actually be sent back out via the input jacks to the source (no matter what source you are using), so they are required and we voiced the sound with the V-caps and it sounds amazing with them. Yes - they do take a while to burn-in, but it is worth the wait because you will be well-rewarded with listening pleasure once burned in.

Regarding the 5G/5.5G iMod, you can connect it directly to the Amphora using a standard LOD. However, we have found that there is some "popping" sounds (especially when using high gain) as you go through the volume steps when you use a standard LOD with the iMod. This is because the iMod has dc offset voltage.

To avoid the pops when using a 5G/5.5G iMod, use an ALO iMod dock cable (or ALO iMod dock such as the Vcap dock or Auricap dock). This blocks the dc offset from the iMod and you will not hear any pops when going through the volume control steps.

Best regards,

Vinnie

 

[sbulack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinnie R. /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... Regarding the 5G/5.5G iMod, you can connect it directly to the Amphora using a standard LOD. However, we have found that there is some "popping" sounds (especially when using high gain) as you go through the volume steps when you use a standard LOD with the iMod. This is because the iMod has dc offset voltage. To avoid the pops when using a 5G/5.5G iMod, use an ALO iMod dock cable (or ALO iMod dock such as the Vcap dock or Auricap dock). This blocks the dc offset from the iMod and you will not hear any pops when going through the volume control steps. Best regards, Vinnie

Vinnie,

Thanks for your informative reply.

Are the popping sounds heard when a 5g/5.5G iMod is connected to a iPod/iMod Amphora via the Amphora's dock, in which case only the Vcaps in the Amphora are present to block dc offset from the iMod?

Is avoiding the popping sounds only a matter of listening aesthetic preference, or, is there also a more engineering-oriented reason (having to do with more wear and tear on audio path components when the pops occur) for avoiding them as well?

Thanks again,

Steve

 

[sbulack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have two very nice iMod LOD to RCA cables (one ALO, one barqy) that I can try later with this dock-included Amphora. So I can hear the difference between the iMod with only the caps in the amphora via built-in dock, and with the caps in the cable + those Amphora.

While I'd be very interested in your experienced reporting on your observation of those results, you seem to be pulling yeoman's duty trying and reporting on the Amphora's performance with whatever arrangements folks dream up.

(A silly, and humorous, image just flashed vividly through my mind.)
The HeadphoneAddict avatar puppet in SCUBA gear (and wearing, of course, transparently-waterproofed RS1's or ED9's), fully submerged in well-lighted carribean-blue seawater holding a large sealed Zip-Loc bag containing an Amphora and portable source. Announcer's voice-over: "Today, we're here beneath the beautiful and dangerous waters of the <some famous> Reef to see how the Amphora performs as we ..." Kind of like the old John Cameron Swayze Timex commercials of "The Olden Days" (as my kids have named the Era-Of-Antiquity when I was a kid) or the Zip-Loc bag commercials of more recent years.

Anyway, while I'd certainly enjoy reading your observations of the results using the Amphora and iMod with each of the LOD cables you've listed above, I also do not want to presume upon you to do so. How about this: only do it if it fits your notion of enjoying your hobby, and, if so, in such a relaxed time frame as keeps it enjoyable and interesting for you as well.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbulack /img/forum/go_quote.gif While I'd be very interested in your experienced reporting on your observation of those results, you seem to be pulling yeoman's duty trying and reporting on the Amphora's performance with whatever arrangements folks dream up. (A silly, and humorous, image just flashed vividly through my mind.) The HeadphoneAddict avatar puppet in SCUBA gear (and wearing, of course, transparently-waterproofed RS1's or ED9's), fully submerged in well-lighted carribean-blue seawater holding a large sealed Zip-Loc bag containing an Amphora and portable source. Announcer's voice-over: "Today, we're here beneath the beautiful and dangerous waters of the <some famous> Reef to see how the Amphora performs as we ..." Kind of like the old John Cameron Swayze Timex commercials of "The Olden Days" (as my kids have named the Era-Of-Antiquity when I was a kid) or the Zip-Loc bag commercials of more recent years. Anyway, while I'd certainly enjoy reading your observations of the results using the Amphora and iMod with each of the LOD cables you've listed above, I also do not want to presume upon you to do so. How about this: only do it if it fits your notion of enjoying your hobby, and, if so, in such a relaxed time frame as keeps it enjoyable and interesting for you as well.

Sure. We were out all day buying 2 of our 3 kids new beds, and then came home exhausted for dinner and to veg, so I'll have to dig out the goggles, KY jelly, ziplocks and LOD-RCA tomorrow.

BTW, I've never heard popping with my 5.5G iMod and using it via the built-in dock, in low or high gain.

 

[fkclo]

Hi Larry,

If you can tell us how the pre-amp of the Amphora performs I would be very glad.

I am considering using it to drive my Adam A5 desktop speakers- there are times after I have my shampoo and so headphones have to wait a bit

F. Lo