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bit of a change around, looking forward to seeing what these guys can do
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The Nords are Hypex with Nords own input buffers (mine are rev C buffers with Sonic Imagery Op-Amps).
As to how do I like them, well they've seen of a pair of Icon Audio MB845SEs that I've had inplace for 4 1/2 years, and about 6 weeks ago they beat (to my ears) a Krell ksa250 I had on loan. The Nords kept the sense of punch & drive at lower volumes Vs the Krell, I think the Nords are stonking amps that belie their price point.
If your anywhere near Chichester your more than welcome to pop in for a listen.
Which ML’s do you have?
 
The Nords are Hypex with Nords own input buffers (mine are rev C buffers with Sonic Imagery Op-Amps).
As to how do I like them, well they've seen of a pair of Icon Audio MB845SEs that I've had inplace for 4 1/2 years, and about 6 weeks ago they beat (to my ears) a Krell ksa250 I had on loan. The Nords kept the sense of punch & drive at lower volumes Vs the Krell, I think the Nords are stonking amps that belie their price point.
If your anywhere near Chichester your more than welcome to pop in for a listen.

thank you for your description and kind offer of a listen @Lurch I am sure your system sounds excellent, I am a fan of electrostatic headphones, just never managed to accommodate speakers of similar technology. My plan is to borrow a demo amp from my hifi dealer, this will have to be a NAD using hypex or Purifi amps, but I suspect that it will give an indication of how they work with my speakers.
 
I rarely (I think) deal in absolutes, but I hope I am given some leeway for this.

After many years of dreaming of it, I now enjoy the best (*) headphone amplifier in the world, SPL Phonitor 2:

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This one goes to my headphones only system, originally described here (have not updated in this year's thread as no other changes).

To begin with, none of the headphones in the system (exclusive to dynamic variants) have any issues with drive and dynamic range (not even AKG K-1000), crossfeed options (Phonitor Matrix) are heaven sent, and the tactile feelings stemming from all these knobs and toggles are like a basis for a proper ASMR video.

Whatever I write about sound impressions at this point would be superfluos - having dreamt about this for years (not exxagerating) I am still honeymooning.

(*) There may be (sure are!) more expensive amplifiers, there may be amplifiers I haven't heard, but I stand by the absolute since this is mine. :D
 
Current set up uses 2 systems with 1 set of PMC 20.24 speakers:

Digital playback is Innuos Zenith mk3, Chord Hugo TT2 and Chord Ultima 6

Vinyl is Rega RP6 into a Naim Nait 3
 
I rarely (I think) deal in absolutes, but I hope I am given some leeway for this.

After many years of dreaming of it, I now enjoy the best (*) headphone amplifier in the world, SPL Phonitor 2:

undefined-Imgur.jpg


This one goes to my headphones only system, originally described here (have not updated in this year's thread as no other changes).

To begin with, none of the headphones in the system (exclusive to dynamic variants) have any issues with drive and dynamic range (not even AKG K-1000), crossfeed options (Phonitor Matrix) are heaven sent, and the tactile feelings stemming from all these knobs and toggles are like a basis for a proper ASMR video.

Whatever I write about sound impressions at this point would be superfluos - having dreamt about this for years (not exxagerating) I am still honeymooning.

(*) There may be (sure are!) more expensive amplifiers, there may be amplifiers I haven't heard, but I stand by the absolute since this is mine. :D

I used to have one of those a while back, possibly the only amp that made headphone listening bearable for me as I don't like the sound all locked in between my ears and these have the trick of increasing the 'head-stage'.
 
Do you mean perhaps "one headphone output"?

It has three inputs round back, two balanced, one unbalanced. It also has one rear output (balanced) intended to drive both a poweramp AND (more importantly) balanced headphones.

All my headphones are inherently balanced, I just haven't gotten around to do a gender change cable (single female 4-pin XLR to two female 3-pin XLR).

So technically, it has two outputs.
 
Do you mean perhaps "one headphone output"?

It has three inputs round back, two balanced, one unbalanced. It also has one rear output (balanced) intended to drive both a poweramp AND (more importantly) balanced headphones.

All my headphones are inherently balanced, I just haven't gotten around to do a gender change cable (single female 4-pin XLR to two female 3-pin XLR).

So technically, it has two outputs.

I wondered how you were going connect your headphones with them having XLR connectors, question answered :).
 
I rarely (I think) deal in absolutes, but I hope I am given some leeway for this.

After many years of dreaming of it, I now enjoy the best (*) headphone amplifier in the world, SPL Phonitor 2:

undefined-Imgur.jpg


This one goes to my headphones only system, originally described here (have not updated in this year's thread as no other changes).

To begin with, none of the headphones in the system (exclusive to dynamic variants) have any issues with drive and dynamic range (not even AKG K-1000), crossfeed options (Phonitor Matrix) are heaven sent, and the tactile feelings stemming from all these knobs and toggles are like a basis for a proper ASMR video.

Whatever I write about sound impressions at this point would be superfluos - having dreamt about this for years (not exxagerating) I am still honeymooning.

(*) There may be (sure are!) more expensive amplifiers, there may be amplifiers I haven't heard, but I stand by the absolute since this is mine. :D

There is something very pleasing about the appearance of the Phonitor 2. They have managed to create a tech aesthetic that somehow looks very elegant. I think it’s the various subtle symmetries that does it. Very nice indeed, and pleased to hear that the sonics are there to match.
 
Do you mean perhaps "one headphone output"?

Yes of course, silly me. Basically, like mine (Myryad Z40) the Phonitor is an effective pre. Guess there aren't many can amps which have multiple jack socket outputs, although I see the Lehmann above does (I think). Having 2 outputs frequently in use, I'd be lost with one.
 
Yes of course, silly me.

Nah, it is a common issue with the TRS sockets, being used with both input and output streams. With me, and English being a second languate, I have to try extra hard not to mess up terminology, which is why I always want to make sure I am properly understanding the topic of discussion.

This was a pain point with one of my former bosses, I quote "stop writing emails like novellas". Took me a while to understand that he meant that insisting on proper punctuation anywhere and anytime shows my non-nativity. :D
 
Took me a while to understand that he meant that insisting on proper punctuation anywhere and anytime shows my non-nativity. :D

I usually used to say to my more advanced students that they had a better handle on English grammar than most British; not surprising really comparing secondary school grammar education to that of an English language (EFL) school. B.t.w., it's 'nativeness', not 'nativity' :D. You're doing okay with this lingo, though !

I thought afterwards that you input your cans into the amp, so by that token it's an input. From the sonic flow p.o.v., it's an output. Semantics or pedantry; take your pick! On a different tack, those vu meters, which I consider totally superfluous on a power amp, would be useful if used as a pre. Those on my valved pre. are invaluable, sth I didn't realise with the many s/state pre's I'd had before.
 
The VU meters are magical to see dancing. But apart from that, they can be calibrated to a different input "state" to cater for varying levels of input signals - it is a "monitoring / mastering" headamp originally. They also light up red to show the output is mute.

On a related note, with the proper test record, can be used as a device to set proper azimuth on a turntable. :D

P.S. Of course I am looking for ways to fit a turntable in that system.
 
One other rather new thing in the primary system:

viber-image-2022-08-27-10-28-08-839.jpg


I've been asking about mono cartridges around here a few months back (perhaps more!), but was fairly limited in choices in that I wanted a LOMC that can track microgroove records, but didn't want to spend through the roof having a limited number of mono records. The obvious path would have been the mono variant of my EMT TSD MRB (the mono would be the TMD 15), if only it was a wee bit cheaper. :D

The instinct was to go with something more affordable to see if I liked a mono cartridge in my system, so got the AT33 Mono along with the AT-LH13 (*) headshell, for the cost of less than a third of the equivalent EMT. Also an interesting way to check out AT MC cartridges.

Now, initial impressions are very positive. I am not saying I will go full mono but I understand the appeal of folks who do so. There may be an EMT mono in my future, but also not necessarily, as this one sounds very, very sweet.

Loaded at 460Ω with a sensitivity of 0.35mV into the LOMC input of the Devialet.
 


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