RS-1 disaster
New Member
I have purchased the new X-CAN V3 from Omer, and it is time to share my thoughts with y'all. The unit now is housed in a rectangular shaped metal box (as opposed to the old tube shaped containers of old). Another big improvement is the Alps pot and large volume knob, which gives you a very gradual gain as you adjust the volume. First order of business was to replace the stock Jan Phillips tubes with a pair of close-matched JJ E88CC/6922 bottles. I had done this rolling with the original X-CANS with very satisfactory results. You can actually get the tubes out and in with only a removal of the front faceplate (where you had to remove both front and rear on the old model)
Having let the unit warm up for an hour or so (audio foreplay without participation), I plugged in the Sennheiser HD580's and let the fun begin. The first track was Nina Simone's "Mississippi Goddam". And galldarn, the overall sound is smoother and more extended at the frequency extremes compared to the original X-CANS. When you go to the X-CANS V3 after using solid state headphone amps, you really notice the smoothness in the highs, and the lack of grain and spitty quality to some sibilants. You will also notice a big soundstage area that allow the recordings to set up camp and breathe properly. The presentation is also set slightly back, which is usually the case with well designed, expensive gear. You can also plug in pretty much any headphone and get
wonderful results. I went and tried my various models of Grado and the amp really clued me in to the differences in the various models. The unit is also dead quiet. The best term to use to describe the unit is "musical". Yes, it's a bit of a cliché, but it fits, in that you just get involved in the music and a sense of pleasure and of being relaxed comes to the fore. There are no irritating peaks or valleys in the frequency response that get on your nerves after a time. You can listen for hours.
Anything I didn't like? Well, just like the original X-CAN, I don't always quite get a bead on what things in the bass range are doing. That is, I think that there is an overall slight lack of focus in the bottom end, a bit of a mushy, amorphous thing going on, from the low bass up to the lower midrange. It's just a bit slow and ill-defined compared to some solid state units like the Grado RA-1 and the Rega Ear. Lacks a bit of kick and drive. Also, compared to the Ear, dynamics are a bit smoothed over and the unit does not "stop/start" as precisely as the Ear (this could just be a "tube" characteristic). But the Ear lacks the overall smoothness, low level detail and transparency in the top that the X-CAN V3 provides. Another thing, Musical Fidelity still does not provide an on/off switch. You have to either leave the unit on ( and let the tubes burn) or unplug it after each listening session. And I see no point of just burning NOS tubes during the normal 20 hours of "down time".
I suppose I could go on and spew out the many qualities of different recording I used, but what's the point? The basic flavour does not change with each recording, so if you like what you hear, you don't have to worry about inconsistencies with different types of music. It can be sweet and smooth, and it can also rock (and sometimes roll too) as was apparent on Ozzy's "Live At Budokan". I think that if one is really interested in tube sound for their headphones, the X-CAN V3 is a great and affordable way to get in.
So there you have it. I highly recommend an audition and this unit is very good value for the money. You can buy some extra tubes for way off in the future, then sit back and enjoy music on a very musical piece of audio gear, the X-CAN V3.
Having let the unit warm up for an hour or so (audio foreplay without participation), I plugged in the Sennheiser HD580's and let the fun begin. The first track was Nina Simone's "Mississippi Goddam". And galldarn, the overall sound is smoother and more extended at the frequency extremes compared to the original X-CANS. When you go to the X-CANS V3 after using solid state headphone amps, you really notice the smoothness in the highs, and the lack of grain and spitty quality to some sibilants. You will also notice a big soundstage area that allow the recordings to set up camp and breathe properly. The presentation is also set slightly back, which is usually the case with well designed, expensive gear. You can also plug in pretty much any headphone and get
wonderful results. I went and tried my various models of Grado and the amp really clued me in to the differences in the various models. The unit is also dead quiet. The best term to use to describe the unit is "musical". Yes, it's a bit of a cliché, but it fits, in that you just get involved in the music and a sense of pleasure and of being relaxed comes to the fore. There are no irritating peaks or valleys in the frequency response that get on your nerves after a time. You can listen for hours.
Anything I didn't like? Well, just like the original X-CAN, I don't always quite get a bead on what things in the bass range are doing. That is, I think that there is an overall slight lack of focus in the bottom end, a bit of a mushy, amorphous thing going on, from the low bass up to the lower midrange. It's just a bit slow and ill-defined compared to some solid state units like the Grado RA-1 and the Rega Ear. Lacks a bit of kick and drive. Also, compared to the Ear, dynamics are a bit smoothed over and the unit does not "stop/start" as precisely as the Ear (this could just be a "tube" characteristic). But the Ear lacks the overall smoothness, low level detail and transparency in the top that the X-CAN V3 provides. Another thing, Musical Fidelity still does not provide an on/off switch. You have to either leave the unit on ( and let the tubes burn) or unplug it after each listening session. And I see no point of just burning NOS tubes during the normal 20 hours of "down time".
I suppose I could go on and spew out the many qualities of different recording I used, but what's the point? The basic flavour does not change with each recording, so if you like what you hear, you don't have to worry about inconsistencies with different types of music. It can be sweet and smooth, and it can also rock (and sometimes roll too) as was apparent on Ozzy's "Live At Budokan". I think that if one is really interested in tube sound for their headphones, the X-CAN V3 is a great and affordable way to get in.
So there you have it. I highly recommend an audition and this unit is very good value for the money. You can buy some extra tubes for way off in the future, then sit back and enjoy music on a very musical piece of audio gear, the X-CAN V3.
