Oooey Gooey Goodness with Darkvoice 336SE

[@cartilagehead]

Best description of the Darkvoice I’ve heard: “It’s the Mazda Miata amp. A relatively cheap entry point to something different and fun. You wouldn’t want one as a daily driver unless you’re super hardcore, but if you have the space and budget, it’s a great occasional alternative to your daily.”

[@brandonbreuer6589]

I agree, in fact more broadly this is probably the best explanation that I've heard for tube amps vs solid state in general.

[@cenciende9401]

I've been dailying a tube headphone amp since I graduated highschool and got my first audio gear...

[@heyguyslolGAMING]

This is good news as I'm already going broke before I've even spent a dime on anything, lol. Still doing research before pulling the trigger on gear.

[@stevenjones5226]

The daily for the daily driver

[@JesusGonzalez-tu2nr]

I have that amp. I run it in the winter. I like the room cold and dark. I only want to see the tube light. I got a cup of hot tea and some other herb. I let the tube and my "happy sate" warm up. I hit play, lean back in the dark, and vibe. For me, there is nothing else to say about this amp and what it gives me.

[@xenpy1603]

That sounds amazingly cozy!

[@yoyodunno]

bauss

[@AudioHead809]

Honestly it’s going on my wishlist just because of this. You’re a legend. I just pulled the trigger on an a90 and returned my Mass Drop cth. This would be a great replacement for it.

[@arielfetters5662]

The Dark Voice is so heavy and blunt it belongs in a game of Clue. 'The music room, the Butler, the Dark Voice'. 😁

[@davidcoons89]

‘Not for all, but perfect for some’. I think that’s about as perfectly succinct as any summarization I’ve ever heard!

[@ThevenimX]

Please make a intro to tube rolling. I always hear about changing tubes but have no clue where to look, what brands to trust, how to know if something gives more or less tube sound, different formats for tubes. DMS Zeos and you occasionally bring up tubes and tube rolling but no one has explained what that really means

[@the_wau_]

excellent idea

[@burnoutcollectivist4660]

Honestly I think it's placebo, don't make the same mistake I did and save the money. I have about 5 years of experience in the audio world, l don't mean that to come across elitist I just mean to say I'm not a noob and I know what to look for. I believed the bs about tubes and spent $150 on a Little Dot Mk2 and Riverstone replacement tubes which the reviews promised would make it sound really good, but I can't tell the difference between either of those tubes and my FiiO Q1 mk1 or Magni 3. Honestly I think tubes are just as bs as the claim that there's a noticeable difference between a $100 DAC and $500 DAC, and between high quality MP3 and FLAC, both of which have been disproven by the majority of blind test comparisons. If you want a different audio experience, invest in headphones. IMO, if you can afford it try to get around 3 pairs of headphones that are very distinct and unique from each other so you can switch up the sound. For example I have an HD 6XX, MK3 Argons, and HE-400I (old model) that I like to use and they all have their own quirks which I love, and I don't even need my Magni 3 since there's no sound quality difference between that and my FiiO Q1 mk1 (another bs audiophile myth), and it's powerful enough to drive all 3.

[@darylccc]

@@burnoutcollectivist4660 If your happy with what you got thats all great, I wish I didn't hear differences in gear, but there is a difference between tubes, amps, dacs and filetypes, it is not placebo. Similar discussions can be had with wine, coffee, bread, paint, windows, wood.... everything does a thing on the face of it, but dig deeper and there are literally endless possibilities within that one "thing" so to speak.

[@Sporting1210]

ignoring the deaf guy above , who is also obviously ignorant about hifi/Audio history, i would suggest, that you start by looking for kits for a certain amp. For example on a site like watfordvalves.com. These guys have kits on different price levels and you can either just order these or look the individual tubes up. As an example: the most expensive kit for a little dot mkII is at 40pounds, which i would not consider as overly expensive, plus you can get the individual valves (remember to buy them matched) wherever it is more convenient and mabye cheaper for you. I also would recommend to just do a quick reading (it's really not that complicated) on how audio valves actually work aka what they do, so you get a general idea what a power valve and a pre-amp valve do and how a switch might impact your audio experience. And yes, there will be an impact, if you do your homework beffore ;)

[@darylccc]

Find the model number of you tube, eg. ECC83 is also 12AX7, and you can usually find what other model tubes are pin compatible with it, it's relatively easy and a number of tubes types also have converters to different pin configurations. Places like www.thetubestore.com or watfordvalves.com are very reputable to buy any tubes from.

[@richardlaub889]

I've been watching you and others (DMS, Z, Zero, Fidelity, and The Audiophiliac) for years now and I can say with all truthfulness that all of you are looking for or recommending the most analytical sound you can find. It's like the more analytical the product is the bigger the recommendation and the happier all of you are. I really enjoyed your recent review on the Sennheiser HE-1 system. The reason I enjoyed it more was because it is the first product I've seen you get excited about that was just fun to listen to music. I'm looking for fun and enjoyable listening sessions and now in just a week you are talking about the Darkvoice. Yesterday Z did a review on the 560's and he loved it and then hated it but when he hooked it to a tube amp all was right with the world again. I'm no sound technician, mixer, or professional audio anything but I love music and I have a ton of it to listen to. How about recommending very good but fun headphones and equipment for a change. Thanks.

[@elliotparnell7805]

I recommend really sticking with Zeos, I also am not a huge fan of this whole spec sheet analysis of hifi equipment, Zeos sticks to feelings, in his review he said that the 560s sound bad on a tube because they probably just do, the rest of his reviews and recommendations are more on sound and emotion

[@doublecrossedswine112]

@@elliotparnell7805 If you watch Zeos, almost everything is amazing. Really useless. For the OP, if you want fun, you should look for V-shaped headphones as this seems to be where the "emotion" meets the specs. In all honesty, you should have 3 or 4 headphones that cover different things because no headphone does everything. My collection so far includes DT 770's for bass when I want it. Sundara for detail and good balance overall. And AKG 702's for first person shooters, open sound stage.

[@orthosympa6993]

@@elliotparnell7805 Feelings don't help at all if you can't describe the sound. What kind of sound you want, bright, V shaped, warm, neutral, and all the other variations? Some peoples absolutely hate bright headphones while other might love them. Do you mind treble peaks? Do you mind if the bass bleed into the mids? These informations are super important. For example josh absolutely love the dt1990 and i think they're absolute trash because of the treble peak. I will take sennheiser 6xx or the hifiman sundara over then any day of the week even if they're half the price. Zeos is good for entertainment, not for buying gear as he almost never talk about detail retrieval wich is the main reason to buy higher end gear since you can always eq the sound signature to your liking to a degree.

[@elliotparnell7805]

@@doublecrossedswine112 I agree but bad reviews don't get views cuz nobody needs to know why something isn't worth buying, it just isn't worth it, where as positive reviews tell u why u need something, but everything I've bought based of Zeos's recommendations have been stellar, and be honest not many companies make amps and headphones over 50 bucks that sound genuinely bad, they might not be ur taste but they will be someone's

[@elliotparnell7805]

@@orthosympa6993 all in all watching any review of gear like this is pointless though, sound is SO subjective, hd660s and HD 800s have very similar things said about their sound signature but they sound so different when ur actually listening to them, frequency response can be changed with EQ, so can most sound signatures so its whatever you like and who's opinion you trust, and I dont have anything against any youtubers or their reviews, I'm just saying I miss when charts wernt used to describe how good something is

[@cartilagehead]

I wish more companies were making “bad measuring” tube amps that sounded radically different from good SS amps (and were therefore more worth picking up). Today’s world of THX amps and better-value solid state has no place for tube amps that chase “solid-state like” performance. My budget and space needs don’t allow for redundant gear. I’m not going to practically be able to fully replace a high value SS amp with tube gear so entice me with variety.

[@FPSBird]

Same i got the modi magni stack with this for something different and for listening to records

[@zzezzobike]

I am an old time-old school audiophile, yes, the type who digs into cables and tweets for even better enjoyment. Bought Dark Voice used, 200€, some RCA power tube roll, tung sol 6sn7...this thing brings a joy to you like nothing before and I went through almost all favorites in every KZbin arsenal recommendations, under 400€. This amp, no matter if it hums little bit, brings smile on your face, you sit back and say to yourself:This is it! No more searching. Even my cheapest headphones, Koss Porta pro sound like I never heard them, but my favorites so far 660s sing better than 600, 650, DT880 600 ohms. I love it.

[@Assimilator702]

Aren’t the 660S 150 ohms? Minimum headphone impedance for the DV should really be 250 to 300 ohms. Is the bass loose with the 660S in the DV?

[@zzezzobike]

Hi, the theory is one thing but the actual pairing is a reality you get to listen. So, let me tell you straight that from all 600 series, 660s, 600, 6xx I tried over the past year the best sound comes from HD598. And it's 50 ohms. Yes. It sound like there are no drivers involved, just the voices and instruments,so nice that I am looking for a brand new pair of 598 on ebay but unfortunately prices are very high. 660s is not my favorite but neither is 6xx, just don't get the whole hype about it. I was better served with 600.

[@intoitreviews]

560S gets some tube hum, but sounds very good on the darkvoice... love the DT880 600 ohm and the K7XX oddly enough.

[@xenpy1603]

Does the DT 880 600 ohm get loud enough on the Darkvoice?

[@Assimilator702]

@@xenpy1603 Yes the Darkvoice has plenty of power for the 600 ohm Beyers. I would NOT use the Darkvoice on any headphone less than 250 ohms. Some say 300 ohms. The impedance of the headphone needs to be somewhere around 8X the output impedance of the amplifier. One reason tube amps have the reputation of being overly warm and “okey gooey” as Josh put in his title is due to using too low impedance of a headphone. There might be some tube amps that are overly warm but the Darkvoice is not one of them when used with the right headphones.

[@n0aimatall]

So glad you reviewed this amp! I have it since 6 Month and I'm loving it with my HD650s. I feed it direct from my turntable pre-amp / turntable and its just awesome. :)

[@marksafe5463]

Glad you did this! Just got the 6xx and was curious how it would sound. DMS prefers the little dot mk2 for 6xx.

[@Ayane13b]

Little dot is always better if you don't want to tube roll. If the idea of tube rolling appeals to you, the darkvoice is always a better option.

[@LordSmashington]

It can push 600ohm cans eassssssyyyyyyyyy. That amp is God Tier for vocals imo. Especially paired with the 6XXs.

[@ChristopherAshworthpage]

I own HD6XX and want this amp for that reason.

[@kingpheno]

I own both and would highly recommend 👌

[@reitencheng4878]

Beyerdynamic T1 sounds exceptional on these OTL amps. Their characteristics balance out each other really well, almost like T1 is designed for an OTL amp.

[@StoneUSA]

Couldn't agree more on the notion that Beyers feel like they were 'designed' for OTL amps. The DT series also feels this way. I have the DT-990 Pros and DT-1990s which are my current daily drivers. Comparing the Darkvoice to the sound that I get out of my THX-789 linear solid state amp, the difference is night and day. I have to EQ the hell out of them to get them to sound good on the 789, but with the Darkvoice there's no tuning required, it's like magic. And the sound is so much more relaxed and easier to listen to than the artificial tuning required with the solid state amp. I have also compared this with my Sennheiser 6xx, 58x and Fostex Argon (a TR50 balanced mod). The Darkvoice brings a substantial level of warmth and depth and natural texture to everything. The DT-1990s remain my favorite. I know that absolutely everything I buy in the future will be compared to the DT-1990 on the Darkvoice. For me, moving up in quality from here means maintaining that same sound signature but adding even more detail, presence and sound stage.

[@MarcosArancibia]

Cool review.! Maybe a missed opportunity, but I have both the Darkvoice and Magnius, and I use the variable RCA output from the Darkvoice into the Magnius, so that I can hear the Tube (only the pre-amp one) sound even with my collection of lower impedance headphones. But you are also right that the HD-6xx shines on the Darkvoice, and it is my preferred combination for Jazz, Vocal, Opera and Classical music. On the other hand, a lot of forums talk about how to ‘mod’ the Darkvoice to support lower impedance, or even how to remove the hum, if one is so inclined.

[@KareezyG]

It is very very fun to listen to. I use it as a preamp with Emotiva BasX A-100 and ELAC DBR62. It will make you bounce, no trampoline. I was using EL AMP II as a preamp before and it was ok. One day I switched to the Darkvoice thinking nothing of it. Next thing you know I am flooded with that gooey goodness Joshua is talking about. I couldnt believe my ears. It brings new life to your music, and Im still only using the stock tubes. So much more excitement ahead. Sometimes you have to ignore the reviews and measurements and just listen. 5/7 highly recommend.

[@josh_wink]

I love my Darkvoice just to mess with the sound signature. It's very fun

[@sethkong]

I own DV for 3-4 years. I really suggest to upgrade the AC power cord, and DV is very picky about the quality of AC. Normally, solid state amps do not have this problem. But for old fashioned amp design like this one, it is very important. I use Pangea cable and wWeiduka+iFi iPurifier AC. I can see a dramatical improvement. I mean you can do blind test, and you can tell instantly. Actually, AC upgrade is the most valuable in my opinion. Enjoy!

[@sethkong]

I use T50RP, Argon, and HD600 with DV normally.

[@sethkong]

I forget. The stock tubes are suck.

[@ludog014]

I've tube swapped this and run DT1990 on them and it's really nice.

[@danielfitton437]

Which tubes did you swap it out for?

[@the0nlytrueprophet942]

@@chaos._.1003 Yes, you can just listen to those tubes for awhile before buying better tubes

[@jonathonyager6450]

this is my intention

[@Starnerd67]

OMG thank you for describing tube sound in the best most coherent way i've heard. What you described is exactly what i hear.

[@coldfinger459sub0]

I’ve had mine for four years. Perfect match with the HD 600s, and beautifully softens my HD 800s. I have 76 New Old Stock tubes to swap out for different sound signatures. It makes a excellent preamp for your solid-state over analytical amplifiers that measure well on paper but sound like Schitt . The holographic sound stage to old Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd is incredible. Too bad you had to do your review with the cheap stock Chinese tubes that came with it. Once you roll in some good tubes you can really hear the difference and it sing

[@rohanleander]

I hope you see this comment, can you do a video of budget /midrange amp/dac combo audio solutions please. Thanks in advance.

[@iansoares3404]

Good review. I am getting this for Christmas. Will be using with my HD600, 6XX and 660S

[@beepover]

Bought my Darkvoice 10+ years ago off MassDrop. All the IEM's I have tried have a hum. Tube rolled and found a very good tube sound for the HD650. The tube roll did not pair well with the hd600. Make sure you clean any connections especially the pins of the tubes, otherwise you may get extra sounds. If you cleaned tube pins then it could be a "bad" or nosy tube. 10 years ago it was great. But at this point it really is only for the hd650 and I do get a great tube sound but its hard to complete against IEM's connected to a high level DAC.

[@lolwutjoe]

would love to see you review the La Figaro 339i

[@qmbyqmby]

As always your videos look amazing! Thanks for making such great stuff. Also, those tubes are huge!!

[@luisnavarrete1602]

I've been wanting for this review since you got the product! Lmao thought I'd never see the day :)

[@robertoruizantonetti6385]

This was my first tube amp. $200 on drop. My next tube amp was the Feliks Audio Echo. Needless to say I wish I could get my money back for the DarkVoice because it sucks due to bad parts selection and engineering mistakes. I still use it, makes for a warming night light. I will eventually modify it so the hum goes away and the volume pot has a usable range. I wouldn't recommend anyone buying this unless you are going to modify it but in that case you're better off building a Bottlehead amp.

[@FPSBird]

I use this to listen to records on my droo carbon vta with my hd 6XX's and it sounds amazing

[@redheart6995]

I use planar audeze lcd3 with the 339 version, double PSU, basically an upgraded 336, and it doesnt have any wolume problem. Your experience is specific to those Abyss and your 336. FYI the output capacitance is low on the darkvoice and might hi der your bass extension.

[@8lec_R]

Cool product. I may decide to get it 3 or 4 years down the road. After I buy an amp and a DAC

[@ABRAXAS37]

I bought one probably 5 or 6 years ago on sale for 200$. Great amp for that price and run my hd 600s really well

[@MiloTheFirst1]

thanks for the great video as per usual Josh. here is a comment to help with the algorithm, you deserve more followers

[@expTRM]

hello Joshua, please, compare the Sennheiser Momentum (over ear, momentum 2 wired or momentum 3 wireless) against some other headphones you tested. I am very curious. Momentum do cost a bit, around 350-400$ here, so in term of price they do play in the league of sennheiser 660s (+50 bucks) or even the more affordable sundara + 1990 ...yes, those are sometimes cheaper than 350$ to get. and soon is black friday

[@ph0enixr]

Would absolutely love to see you build and review a Bottlehead Crack. You missed Cracktember but Bottlehead is doing another sale for Black Friday. They're in Washington!

[@elliotparnell7805]

Anyone know how 600ohm DT880s sound on this?

[@AbsolutionArmament]

I had a set of DT990s pre and they sound nice through it. But recently I switched over to HD600 drivers. Both sound nice through it.

[@redheart6995]

Good intro. No matter the measurements, you wont enjoy it as luch as the marketers tried to make you believe it. No matter the mean, you believe what your hears like.

[@TheNeilo-Audiosound]

I absolute love my Dark Voice and Tube Swapping to:- Shuguang Black treasure CV181-Z and a General Electric 6AS7GA is my end game as to be fair the Stock tubes “Suck” but my Tube combo has just awoken the DV and paired with my Sennheiser HD600 it’s just Audio Porn Heaven😜👍 (Side note) The Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm also Sound Phenomenal through the Dark Voice. OK I’m done Carry On Chaps😂

[@dannybos7024]

Still would like you to do a comparisson between the DT770, DT880 and DT990 for the viewers here that are on a budge. I think it can really help some of them, since these are decent entry-level audiophile headphones.

[@shrillyy1604]

i think they dont beat out eachother, its just what you want them to do

[@jkhmonkey_kfp_pentium_ii_cpu]

Personally all I can say is don't get the 990 if you're treble sensitive. It hurts.

[@dannybos7024]

@@shrillyy1604 I know

[@dannybos7024]

@@jkhmonkey_kfp_pentium_ii_cpu I own several high end headphones and have owned a lot of low end ones like the DT-series. The Dt880 is easily the best and the DT990 easily the worst. It's a joke how bad that one is.

[@jkhmonkey_kfp_pentium_ii_cpu]

@@dannybos7024 DT880 250ohm or 600ohm? I've heard that the DT880 600 ohm version is one of the best Beyer has (assuming you got the gear to drive it properly), so been considering in tracking down one on Ebay, but at the same time, already have too many headphones in that price range already...

[@pascaljean2333]

Dt880 600ohm + tubes folks

[@russellrandolph3705]

Are the back output just pass through? If so, will it pass the signal on while it is off.

[@robertkirkpatrick1826]

Any Dac pairing recommendations?

[@Saber_Guardian]

Do you like this sound over ifi zen signature for the 6XX? Particularly speaking to the sig's '6xx' button that's supposed to widen soundstage, etc. vs a tube amp like this for something a little different. Great stuff as always!

[@arthurwatts1680]

Josh, I live in a town that rarely drops below 30 deg C (it was 30 at MIDNIGHT last night ..), but I enjoyed the video nonetheless. Thanks for making a case for something that I expect the crew at ASR trashed without even hearing it.

[@dannybos7024]

What does your town have to do with it?

[@arthurwatts1680]

@@dannybos7024 I need a space heater like I need a hole in the head. Further south, they actually have a Winter - not a particularly harsh Winter, but definitely more suited to a space heater, er, tube amp.

[@dannybos7024]

@@arthurwatts1680 Okay but still: what does your climate have to do with this amp? I don't see the correlation.

[@arthurwatts1680]

@@dannybos7024 Heating a room that I spend a lot of money cooling to 23 deg C with aircon makes no sense, but maybe that's just me. I'm also not a fan of the shipping costs on something of this size.

[@dannybos7024]

@@arthurwatts1680 Okay then...

[@haleyharris6539]

Awesome Video Josh Keep up the Great Work 👍👍👍🏻👍🏻

[@sestoman]

Great video! I’ve had the LaFigaro 339 for around 2 years now, which is essentially 2 of these in a dual monaural configuration. Also made by the same guy who made this Darkvoice. Would be very interested to hear your take on it

[@dark-california]

LaFigaro looks awesome How do you like it ?

[@sestoman]

@@dark-california Love it. It’s pretty much everything I had hoped for and it hasn’t let me down yet. I use it with the HD6XX’s and I haven’t heard any other combo that comes close to the sound quality it can deliver.

[@dark-california]

@@sestoman I was thinking to get the DV but now I bought the Loxjie P20. LaFigaro is another class I suppose At least price wise ...

[@sestoman]

@@dark-california Ya I took a little while to make the decision to go for it. Definitely expensive, at least for me. I’m really glad I did though. Loxjie P20 looks nice too, and has some good reviews! Might point my friend to it who’s looking to get a tube amp

[@dark-california]

@@sestoman I ordered another powersupply and another matched pair of tubes for the P20 The new powersupply already brought the music to another level Now the new tubes but they are shipped I also have the Little Dot Mk III and Darkvoice in mind ...

[@deepskypics]

Josh and friends, I am having a really difficult time choosing upgrade preamp and power Amp tubes for this because there is too much Information out there. Is there any consensus on what good upgrade tubes are for the 336? For preamp the Tung-sol 6sn7 seems to be a good popular option, but the power tube, not sure. The 2 tubes need to also pair well together

[@cdyow]

Only headphones I have, arriving on Friday, are the Sennheiser HD 560S. I believe those are 120 ohm impedance. Maybe right on the edge of acceptable or a decent match up?

[@manu1381]

This seems to be a good amp to pair with a turntable and listen using HD6xx/660S/660S2

[@tjc9514]

Great Video Josh! For someone who has never listened to a tube amp and only tube sims and liked the sound, is it worth the hassle of the real deal?

[@dennisthehazarddb1095]

I would really like a music video in which you introduce good music to test and enjoy.

[@nickcoelho5049]

Hope you still read this. Do you still recommend an FX Audio tube with GE tubes into a solid state over this? or something comparable? or is this something that is one of a kind? Thanks -Nick

[@h445]

Josh the Darkvoice sounds great with Diana Phi, just sayin'....RCA power tube, Sylvania pre-amp - look into it.

[@Kmahomie]

But wait... I thought most of focals lineup is around 55ohm ? I’m interested in trying this out but I’m worried the impedance is wayyyy too low

[@aceofspades6667]

I'm interested.. but probably not a good pairing with my HP3, LCD-X, and Clears.

[@shadouxg7150]

Finally new video

[@apexalexr]

I MEAN he released the monitor one quite recently it was a great video too lol. But yeah I'm always antsy for new vids from him. The music and video quality is nuts. The first thing I did with my new headphones and iems is listen to his intros

[@lemahalingams3630]

Hi Joshua! You mentioned that Focals will play nice with it, but the elex is only 80 ohm, not 300 like the hd600. Is this still ok?

[@deltadeka492]

Focals.. High impedance..?

[@irun2sanaxox]

I mean they’re not 32 or 16 ohm, I have the Cayin ha-1a mkii & they get influenced a lot by the tubes but that amp also has an impedance selector so maybe that’s why? that’s my first tube amp I ever messed with so I’m not experience with how all tube amps are but I’m familiar with how mine works with my headphones :]

[@BassRacerx]

What about this with Vinyl ?

[@stevenjackson8226]

Haven't you done reviews of other tube amp? I seem to recall that you have, but I haven't gone back to check. I've been around tubed electronics as long as I've been alive. Almost exclusively, my two channel set ups have had tubed amps and preamps. As a deep-dive into the Senn 580 (original)/600-family thing, I got a pair of both the 6XX and 58X (Drop accounts for a large part of my headphone universe) and a Bottlehead Crack (high impedance only). It's a particular and lovely pairing, specifically with the 6XX. Definitely not hi-res, but lusciously enjoyable. To start with, the 6XX isn't a hi-res device, and wasn't even designed to be from its original product brief. The Crack is an OTL SET; its mission is rather specific. I haven't listened to other high impedance headphones with it. To explore getting my other headphones into the tube game, I also got an Bottlehead S3X (not high impedance only). Different amplifier altogether. It's not soft and rounded and will play well with headphones of all impedances. It sounds great with the Focal Elex. I haven't used any other tubed headphone amps. The Bottlehead amps have been around a long time. They are designed by very experienced folks and are very refined. Different tubes can make huge sonic difference, especially in an amplifier like the Crack - a rather minimalist SE OTL where there's nothing between your headphones and the tube plate but a capacitor. The Crack uses a 12AU7 input and a 6080 output/cathode follower tube. The 12AU7 isn't especially linear, but the 6080 is (as is the 6SN7, which this Darkvoice uses for its input tube). My response to this review is more about tubed gear. I agree with you use case recommendations - as a second system, singular for what it does well, or possibly the primary system for someone who loves what it brings.

[@LakerTriangle]

I only have one pair of Focals (Elegia's) but I thought they were all pretty low impedance (sub 100) in comparison to the others like Beyer and ZMF.

[@balldrips]

I was looking for a comment like this. I thought exactly the same thing when he mentioned Focal and high impedance.

[@juanp756]

People on forums say they are bad pairing, at least the Clears.

[@LakerTriangle]

@@juanp756 kinda heard the same....I actually purchased a Schiit Lyr 2 2nd hand because I don't have any high impedance headphones.

[@CyberDjo_1504]

On that matter, i think Focal headphones (Clear especially) are more intended for SS amp for analytical listening experience. However on a Class A Hybrid Tube System, with the right tube, they sound smoother, a bit more analog to say natural sounding.

[@darkroom8317]

The volume knob is stiff when your in a cold state like mine... & by cold state he means married...

[@ItsNeverTooHot4Leather]

I was hoping you'd mention Beyerdynamic....For me personally I love the pairing of the DT770 (both the 250 ohms and 600 ohms versions) with the Darkvoice.

[@Rickzolla]

I have a DV. I love it with my Beyerdynamic DT 880 / 600 and DT 990 / 250.

[@davemonell9308]

Hey Josh great videos do you have a opinion on the Sennheiser hd 700 thanks.

[@BoostDriftTeam]

Did you try the RCA output with speakers? Is it passthrough or does it give your system the “tube” sound? If so, how’s the performance vs the headphones output?

[@joelmacgregor8700]

It acts as a tube pre-amp. not passthrough

[@BoostDriftTeam]

@@joelmacgregor8700 Alright thanks for the reply!

[@xenpy1603]

Gotta be kidding me, purchased the 336SE earlier this week. Thanks for the review Josh, can't wait to hear my unit! Btw how does it sound compared to a cheap tube buffer?

[@looyoo0-u6i]

did you do that thing you do where you pre this into the thx so that you can get the taste of tubes with the power of thx as well as its transparency >?

[@dannybos7024]

Yes

[@Reeeepicheep]

What sounds better with this? 6XX or HD 600?

[@miusicmene]

great video, but if you haven’t tried an otl bottlehead yet, you should..that one is simply amazing

[@EssenceofPureFlavor]

LCD-4 is a pretty high impedance planar.

[@tysontyson1244]

Man, I cannot believe the comments for this video. A bunch of ignorant trolls that obviously have never owned tube amplifiers arguing points that are completely wrong. These are nerds sitting behind a keyboard making up information that they know nothing about. I almost responded to one of them to tell them how wrong they were but stopped myself. A tip for all of you reading these comments hoping to get some information, don't listen to anyone in the comments. Go to a forum and actually communicate with owners of tube amps. The information in these comments will steer you in the wrong direction. And, all of you smart people trying to correct the trolls, just stop wasting your time with these clowns.

[@nicholaslyvers6052]

Is the line out a pass through or does it run through tube with no amp? ie can I run DAC to DV to AMP? There was a video previously about tube buffers (I think that is one of the names people call them) where a cheap tube was paired with a 789 and I was curious if the DV will do the same.

[@yaoyaotigeraudio7299]

Hi, Joshua, do you have interesting to review hifi IEMs products?

[@sainath8710]

Hi, normal used see your reviews get going. I need some suggestions from you, I bought a new 6xx headphone and this’s my first open back headphone, so which would be a decent amp to pair with 6xx to get the best synergy out of it?

[@rya123s]

Just curious if I used this as a preamp into a topping a30 pro would sound good or is using it as a pre amp to just tune up my current setup a waste of money?

[@kajetan9550]

Would it be a good idea to connect Modius DAC to some tube amp? I’m buying the darkvoice 336se and don’t know what DAC to choose for it (I’m not an expert...yet;) ) Would really appreciate an answer

[@limelightmuskoka]

If you own high impedance headphone order it right now. But give it a few hours to burn in properly. Don't listen to it until you have given it 5-10 hour burn in.

[@atompunk5575]

If it were possible to hook up with my PS4, i would play Modern Warfare, but i guess this would be best for a home movie theater

[@the0nlytrueprophet942]

It is possible if your dac supports optical. You can optical from your ps4 into a dac, then the darkvoice

[@atompunk5575]

@@the0nlytrueprophet942 nice, can it support headphones too?

[@4eyescreative423]

or... $199 on (mass)Drop, frequently.

[@LordSmashington]

Can't return it though. These amps do have some QC issues out of the gate. Amazon is the way.

[@p.rico11]

I bought my Darkvoice from Apos, price-matched to the Drop deal of $200. They will match any legit dealer price if you use the chat window on the site. I also didn't have to wait a few months for it.

[@4eyescreative423]

@@p.rico11 That's fantastic!

[@4eyescreative423]

​@@LordSmashington (mass)Drop allows returns of their items within 30 days of purchase, as does Amazon.

[@LordSmashington]

@@4eyescreative423 Only if it's a Drop item. They don't do 30 day returns for all items.

[@chefsteve8381]

Can you do a list of headphones that work well with tube amps thanks

[@dannybos7024]

1. HD6XX The end.

[@the0nlytrueprophet942]

Hd800 as well.

[@chefsteve8381]

@@the0nlytrueprophet942 R70X

[@Jeebus86]

Are they grey now? Or is it the lighting?

[@MosoKaiser]

They? HD6XX? Looks like the usual dark purplish navy blue on my phone screen at least.

[@Jeebus86]

@@MosoKaiser No I mean the DarkVoice. Looks a little washed out to me. I have one on my desk and it's blacker

[@jameyhaz]

considering the LCD-X is so efficient, would those make a decent pairing with this amp?

[@0Eevert]

Not likely. The Darkvoice is an OTL tube amp. The distinctive output signature is in large part due to how the tubes interact with the impedance in your load. High impedance, more likely to sound tubey. If your impedance varies with frequency as it does in dynamic drivers, that also affects the signature. Planars, eg the LCD-X are the opposite of that: low impedance, flat impedance curve. DV will only shit on those. See HD-6XX for a positive example.

[@jameyhaz]

@@0Eevert thanks for the explanation. I have heard it wasn't the best match, but never understood why. I still want to dip my toes into tubes however.

[@aerternaeaerumna5158]

Impedance is too low. For planars, want an OTC Tube amp or a hybrid amp. This Darkvoice is an OTL amp so it won't do with low sub 100ohm Headphones

[@BeybladeSonicFan]

Would you take the HD 599 over the Hd598?

[@mariodrv]

Would you?

[@BarbellMonkey]

Would the Audeze LCD 2C sound good with this amplifier?

[@dannybos7024]

It's already very dark, so maybe

[@BunnyslippersEUC]

My Cayin HA-1A mk1 tube amplifier is 7 kg. Mark II is 9,5 kg or 21 pounds. Edit You should have used an IEMatch for IEM.

[@TheNotoriousKY]

If anyone knows how to perform the hum fitz mod, please let me know.

[@davidmason8212]

If you can compare the HFM Ananda with the LCD2C this will be fantastic

[@JoshuaValour]

I don't have either atm, unfortunately.

[@davidmason8212]

@@JoshuaValour Many thanks for your rapid reply. BTW Your LG CX review was amazing .

[@JoshuaValour]

@@davidmason8212 Thank you sir!

[@mcnasty0322]

Make sure you out a fan on the darkvoice it's literally a fire hazard

[@tumetal]

Measurements are completely overrated. If taste in music is subjective, so is the presentation. Different sound signatures make amps unique. I like different flavors - if they all measure the same then what's the point?

[@mattialemboluscari8774]

Ohhh you got them Starfieldsss 😎

[@Assimilator702]

Moondrop Starfield are a good set.

[@user-rd4cd7ph7x]

Anyone use this with dt 1990 pro's?

[@narkformost867]

tuubes yooooo TUBES SOO COOL DISTORTION NAYSHION

[@TonyFernandezjkdjedi]

It's ok to say you liked it, too safe of a review.. and you should have tried it with some higher end tubes. The stock tubes are garbage. Tung Sol 5998 with 1963 Melz 1578 for example are the cats meow combo.

[@tony_bauer]

Loxjie P20 is better in my opinion. Especially when you swap the power supply and tubes.

[@dark-california]

So what powersupply and what tubes do you recommend ?

[@tony_bauer]

@@dark-california Get a 12V 60W 5A power supply off Amazon, then get the RiverStone Audio 6N3P-E matched Tubes off there as well and it’s an extremely good sounding tube amp for the price.

[@tony_bauer]

@@dark-california to be completely honest, I’ve heard tube amps up to thousands of dollars, and this setup right here is just my favorite sound signature.

[@dark-california]

@@tony_bauer I'm in Mexico at the moment I'll have to see if I find the power supply And what's the improvement using this particular power supply ? Where to get the tubes ? Lastly what balanced cables / connectors ? You really like the P20 that much ? I never heard it but getting one for sure You convinced me

[@tony_bauer]

@@dark-california Get all of those from Amazon. It should come out to be a bit less than the Dark Voice. And yes it’s a huge improvement. The Dark Voice has some really crappy tubes as well. That’s how all these brands cost cut. They throw in some random crappy parts. Do that combination and you’re gonna be in love for sure.

[@vaneast411]

Really fun non-fatiguing listen with Sennheiser HD650's and HD820's. Tube rolling is highly recommended going to site with user groups enjoying this amp, for tube recommendations.

[@pinoyxbox]

This or the schiit valhalla?

[@hernanaqp25]

what about LeeSound Darkvoice 6N5P + 6N11 ?

[@fabiolopes5700]

I've owned that one, and it's utterly garbage, it doesn't sound tubey, sounds solid state. Not even remotely close to darkvoice se336, the leesound is just a really bad copycat.

[@hernanaqp25]

@@fabiolopes5700 THX dude, and maybe you have the little dot mk2? Or you have any experience?

[@fabiolopes5700]

@@hernanaqp25 Unfortunately I've no experience with any little dot, but stay away from that leesound for the sake of your ears.

[@Alexa-ck7mq]

ok ok ok, I have to say, how the fuck does a headphone amp sound goey?

[@cemgoren1763]

Is this video's name a jerma985 reference or what?

[@the_wau_]

partnered? were you sponsored by them? if so then this isn't a review

[@JoshuaValour]

No, they sent the darkvoice out for a review. This review.

[@the_wau_]

@@JoshuaValour alright, awesome