Holy C**p!!

[Loquah]

I just finished installing the C4S in my S.E.X. and am absolutely gob-smacked! How can something so simple have such an incredible impact??

Better bass, better definition at all frequencies, better imaging - it just all got better and took me about 30-40 minutes to complete while watching TV!?

Bravo to the Bottlehead Wizards (and Witches?) once again

[Grainger49]

That is why C⁴S is at the top of my list for impact on sound modifications.

[Loquah]

Very sound advice! 

[John EH]

Not sure which version of SEX you have but I had the 2.0 for ages and just put the C4S in not too long ago followed shortly by the iron upgrade.

It sounds so good.  It drives speakers at work for background music but sometimes I lock the door and put on my Sony MDR-V6 headphones which is a match made in heaven for my amp.  I'll probably get scoffed at by some but I swear it may sound better than my Crack with Speedball and Sennheiser HD650's.

[Loquah]

I'd believe that. I don't know the Sonys you're using, but I have heard some average headphones (not saying the Sonys are average) sound awesome from the S.E.X. Even my crappy old AKG K-66s that I use to test new circuits sounded awesome from the S.E.X.

[physicsmajor]

Not sure which version of SEX you have but I had the 2.0 for ages and just put the C4S in not too long ago followed shortly by the iron upgrade.

It sounds so good.  It drives speakers at work for background music but sometimes I lock the door and put on my Sony MDR-V6 headphones which is a match made in heaven for my amp.  I'll probably get scoffed at by some but I swear it may sound better than my Crack with Speedball and Sennheiser HD650's.

No scoffing here!

The MDR-V6 is Sony's classic monitoring/mixing headphone. It's been around forever, also lasts forever, is dead flat, and performs quite well - even for demanding applications. Visit almost any pro studio and you'll see at least one pair of these hanging around. If you prefer a more accurate sound, the MDR-V6 could easily be preferred over the HD650. I like my HD650s, but even Sennheiser admits they weren't voiced for a flat frequency response.

[tdogzthmn]

Got my CS4 installed last night and have been letting it break in this evening.  Install only took about 4 hours from opening the box to hearing some sweeter sounding music.  Even with about 2 hours of play time i've noticed a larger more present sound to the music.  Looking forward to noticing more refinements as it breaks in.

[Zimmer64]

I can only confirm your findings. It is amazing how good 2 watts / channel can sound. I actually bought it as a headphone amp and just out of curiousity hooked up my speakers (4 ohm, 87db rated). I was blown away by the imaging, the bass and the mids. Voices and acousitc instruments sound awesome. Not a party amp, but just fabulous for my normal listening sessions.

Thank you Bottlehead!

Michael

ps: Btw. Mine is dead quiet. No mods other than C4S and impedance switch. There is no buzz, hiss, hum, crackling or whatever.

[hibuckhobby]

I'm right there with you.  Just picked up a S.E.X. with impedance switches and C4S mod.  It sounds amazing with my HiFiMan HE500's, but today for a hoot, I hooked it up in my desktop system to my Usher 520's which are only about 85-86db effficient.
Listening to Nils Lofgren right now nearfield and I've never heard this system sound that good.  Can't help but wonder what some higher efficiency speakers like Omegas or Hoyt Bedfords would sound like here in my office.
Hibuck....

[Loquah]

I'm right there with you.  Just picked up a S.E.X. with impedance switches and C4S mod.  It sounds amazing with my HiFiMan HE500's, but today for a hoot, I hooked it up in my desktop system to my Usher 520's which are only about 85-86db effficient.
Listening to Nils Lofgren right now nearfield and I've never heard this system sound that good.  Can't help but wonder what some higher efficiency speakers like Omegas or Hoyt Bedfords would sound like here in my office.
Hibuck....

Just bought some 2nd hand HE-500s on Head-Fi and can't wait to fire up the S.E.X. with them. I'm interested to see the performance comparison between the S.E.X. and Mainline with the orthos.

[mcandmar]

Congrats, please share your findings.

I'm just waiting for you to start cap rolling the S.E.X. amp, i think you would be very surprised at the difference they make.

[Loquah]

Congrats, please share your findings.

I'm just waiting for you to start cap rolling the S.E.X. amp, i think you would be very surprised at the difference they make.

Don't tempt me!!! 

Honestly, I'm thinking it might actually be my next step though as I'm running out of new amps, headphones and things to try (other than the upcoming Bottlehead DAC). Can caps bring a bit of extra punch to the bottom end of the S.E.X.?

[mcandmar]

No, not really. Well maybe, sort of lol.

I doubt there is any more bass, or if those frequencys are any louder, its more the added detail and resolution make the low end more defined so it seems to have more presence if that makes sense. For example one of the first things that struck me was being able to listen to what the bass player was playing, usually they get lost in the background and dont really get heard in isolation. 

Have a read at the end of my rambling thread where i tried to explain my impressions of the two cap upgrades, i'm nowhere near as eloquent as you in describing these things but it may give you a better idea.

[Loquah]

No, not really. Well maybe, sort of lol.

I doubt there is any more bass, or if those frequencys are any louder, its more the added detail and resolution make the low end more defined so it seems to have more presence if that makes sense. For example one of the first things that struck me was being able to listen to what the bass player was playing, usually they get lost in the background and dont really get heard in isolation. 

Have a read at the end of my rambling thread where i tried to explain my impressions of the two cap upgrades, i'm nowhere near as eloquent as you in describing these things but it may give you a better idea.

I forgot about your thread (oops!!) thanks for the reminder - I'll go take a look...