BaDToaD
"Very" Old Timer
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A review of the Pandora's sound and music capability.
- Thread starter BaDToaD
- Start date
bzar
A Commando
This sounds very good! 
Ps. Also the review was very sound.
Ps. Also the review was very sound.
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mvickers03
Active Member
Nice review mate, I must admit the sound quality is awesome!
It really makes the difference when playing through good speakers. Has the same feeling as playing them for the first time when I was a kid hooking my TV up to my HiFi playing PSX games.. very cool indeed
Glad your having fun
It really makes the difference when playing through good speakers. Has the same feeling as playing them for the first time when I was a kid hooking my TV up to my HiFi playing PSX games.. very cool indeed
Glad your having fun
craigix
Mega GP Mania
This is because Michael Weston also likes audio and insisted we use some quite expensive parts there, he will be very happy you noticed.
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This sounds very good!
Ps. Also the review was very sound.
Oh man. Puns like these physically hurt. Can you please tone it down?
Craigix: This was honestly the one thing I was worried about with the Pandora. But the thing does indeed sound incredible. I'm glad MWeston chose the hardware for this thing. They guy is a genius from that perspective.
DavidBowman
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2009
- Messages
- 697
Most excellent. I'm glad to hear this. I haven't tested my Pandora with headphones yet, as I need to acquire a new pair first.
MWeston
Internal Development
Yes I did try to tweak the audio as best I could between the limited board revisions. I used a pair of Shure SE530's to get the noise floor as low as possible. Those bastards hiss at any noise! My laptop sounds like my damn shower is running!
The DAC has a 99dB SNR level at the voltage used. The headphone amp has a 100dB SNR with low gain and the output can swing 4Vpp which is much more than most MP3 players out there. Ferrite chip based pi filtering was done on the amp's supply and the 5V supply was denied pulse skip mode to keep ringing out of the audio stage.
I built a headphone DAC/amplifier designed to drive headphones up to 600 ohms and I use it for my Sennheiser HD-650s. It can drive signals to 20Vpp so it has all kinds of dynamic range. I was amazed that the Pandora drives the 650s to sound levels as high as I need for all but ear abusive listening.
Craig, the main reason we had to use all this external hardware was because of that volume wheel. The only way to attenuate an analog signal is to produce it separately.
I'm glad you like how it sounds BaDToaD. I'm not afraid to say I like a little EQ in my music and Audacious sounds fantastic.
The DAC has a 99dB SNR level at the voltage used. The headphone amp has a 100dB SNR with low gain and the output can swing 4Vpp which is much more than most MP3 players out there. Ferrite chip based pi filtering was done on the amp's supply and the 5V supply was denied pulse skip mode to keep ringing out of the audio stage.
I built a headphone DAC/amplifier designed to drive headphones up to 600 ohms and I use it for my Sennheiser HD-650s. It can drive signals to 20Vpp so it has all kinds of dynamic range. I was amazed that the Pandora drives the 650s to sound levels as high as I need for all but ear abusive listening.
Craig, the main reason we had to use all this external hardware was because of that volume wheel.
The only way to attenuate an analog signal is to produce it separately.I'm glad you like how it sounds BaDToaD. I'm not afraid to say I like a little EQ in my music and Audacious sounds fantastic.
RobFord
Member
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2008
- Messages
- 267
@BaDToaD
I would only call you an audiofool if you are off spending £25,000 on a couple of metres of speaker cable, or getting gold plated power plugs.
Can I just ask which headphones you were using for the test?
Great review, being an audio engineer, I might very well end up ditching my minidisc (yes I do still use one, because it works and I really like that it is not Apple), marry my Sony MDR-7506's with the Pandora sounds like it will be fantastic.
EDIT - MWeston, that sounds almost like portable audio heaven.
I would only call you an audiofool if you are off spending £25,000 on a couple of metres of speaker cable, or getting gold plated power plugs.
Can I just ask which headphones you were using for the test?
Great review, being an audio engineer, I might very well end up ditching my minidisc (yes I do still use one, because it works and I really like that it is not Apple), marry my Sony MDR-7506's with the Pandora sounds like it will be fantastic.
EDIT - MWeston, that sounds almost like portable audio heaven.
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Grench
Forum Addict!
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2008
- Messages
- 6,629
Is the CMoy needed?
You seem to like over the ear headphones. If you suggest the Koss or Sennheiser at the 'least', what headphones were you using for the review?
BaDToaD
"Very" Old Timer
Hi Massive,
For the music I was using some modded Skytronics HP350s that I picked up off ebay for £12.99 (sadly not available anymore) Don't let the price put you off. I consider these to be between my Sennheiser HD595s (circa £100) and AKG K701's (circa £190) for sound quality.
For the gaming I was using both Koss porta pros and Sennheiser PX-100s
ToaD
Yes I did try to tweak the audio as best I could between the limited board revisions. I used a pair of Shure SE530's to get the noise floor as low as possible. Those bastards hiss at any noise! My laptop sounds like my damn shower is running!
The DAC has a 99dB SNR level at the voltage used. The headphone amp has a 100dB SNR with low gain and the output can swing 4Vpp which is much more than most MP3 players out there. Ferrite chip based pi filtering was done on the amp's supply and the 5V supply was denied pulse skip mode to keep ringing out of the audio stage.
I built a headphone DAC/amplifier designed to drive headphones up to 600 ohms and I use it for my Sennheiser HD-650s. It can drive signals to 20Vpp so it has all kinds of dynamic range. I was amazed that the Pandora drives the 650s to sound levels as high as I need for all but ear abusive listening.
Craig, the main reason we had to use all this external hardware was because of that volume wheel.
I'm glad you like how it sounds BaDToaD. I'm not afraid to say I like a little EQ in my music and Audacious sounds fantastic.
I take my hat off to you Michael. I never would have thought the Pandora capable of producing such excellent sounds.
ToaD
BaDToaD
"Very" Old Timer
Hi Grench,
The CMoy isn't needed to get decent sound out of the Pandora. The stock Pandora sound is more akin to my Sony MP3 player with a CMoy. Adding the CMoy into the mix just ups the ante to the stage of seriously impressive. I might add my CMoy is an Audiophile version with boutique parts and a metal can op amp so the fact the Pandora can approach the sound of it + my Sony is testament to the Pandora's sound.
In other words. Even without an amp the Pandora sounds great.
Just for the record the Pandora even drives my AKG K701s to acceptable levels and manages to make them sound good. Something no other MP3 player I've ever tried them with has managed. The 701s can be a bugger to drive.
ToaD
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BaDToaD
"Very" Old Timer
If anyone wants some impressions of any of the following cans, let me know and I'll spend some time with them plugged into the Pandora.
AKG K701
Superlux HD681 (modded)
Stock Superlux HD681
Skytronics HP350 (modded)
Sennheiser HD595
Allesandro MS1
Sennheiser 280
Sennheiser PX-100 (modded)
Sennheiser PX-100 (modded)
Koss Porta Pro
ToaD
AKG K701
Superlux HD681 (modded)
Stock Superlux HD681
Skytronics HP350 (modded)
Sennheiser HD595
Allesandro MS1
Sennheiser 280
Sennheiser PX-100 (modded)
Sennheiser PX-100 (modded)
Koss Porta Pro
ToaD
bzar
A Commando
Oh, I like a little play on words. But if you want me to stop doing it, I'll pause for a while.
Man, all this pun-making is getting me rewinded. Maybe I went too fast forward with this.
Okay, these puns are getting so bassless, they make me treble.
Now I'm done.
snostrebla
Still Fresh
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2009
- Messages
- 38
This thread makes me so happy on the inside. And it is especially good news I don't need to carry my amp around with me. Makes me wish I had my Pandora more.
Prometheus
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 8, 2008
- Messages
- 9,472
This thread's proven to be an interesting (and delightfully punny) read.
I use a pair of Sennheiser PX200s with my Pandora. I bought them specifically for it, and got a good deal from Play.com a couple of years back - they cost me ~£30, and if memory serves they were on sale at half-price at the time (best headphones I've ever owned). Playing games with them on is really incredibly atmospheric, I think - it reminds me of when I was about 15 or so, and had my PSX hooked up to a pretty decent Hi-Fi system.
I use a pair of Sennheiser PX200s with my Pandora. I bought them specifically for it, and got a good deal from Play.com a couple of years back - they cost me ~£30, and if memory serves they were on sale at half-price at the time (best headphones I've ever owned). Playing games with them on is really incredibly atmospheric, I think - it reminds me of when I was about 15 or so, and had my PSX hooked up to a pretty decent Hi-Fi system.
