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SAWEEEET!! - List your cans & amps!


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Having been indoctrinated by the convincing posts here extolling the virtues of headphones & amp/DAC combinations, my gear list exceeds the bank balance by a considerable margin. But hey ho, music matters!

 

Marks out of 10 for sonic superlativeness OR musical mayhem.

 

Headphones:

Audeze LCD2 with ALO audio RW8-S Silver/Copper headphone cable. 10/10 (exquisite transparency and startling dynamics).

AKG 702 with Cardas replacement cable. 8/10 (revealing but can lack bass resolution and rhythmic capture).

Sennheiser HD-25II 7/10 (rhythmically tight & involving but not the most transparent).

B&W P5 5/10 (desperately wanted to love these cans but the sound signature is clouded and `muddy').

Sennheiser PX100 8/10 (bang for buck a sonic bargain and wonderful with an iMod).

 

Amplifiers:

fi-Quest 9/10 an iBasso on heat with improved resolution and superb musicality.

RSA The Shadow 7/10 astonishingly small and produces a rounded sound signature which is great without excelling in any area.

Meier Soundstage 9.5/10 capacious sound stage and superb dynamics plus a beguiling musicality, 0.5 points deducted for voracious battery consumption.

TTVJ (slim) 8/10 very musical and involving but without the nth degree of transparency exhibited by the fi-Quest and Meier.

 

Sources:

iMod iPod 8.5/10 transforms a stock iPod.

Cypherlabs AlgoRhythm Solo 10/10 astonishingly good in every way.

Grace m903 9/10 asynchronous USB implementation and beguiling sound.

Yamamoto HA-02 9.5/10 euphonious tube headphone amp, very idiosyncratic but beguilingly musical with low impedance headphones.

 

I'm happy to answer any questions about my gear.

 

 

 

 

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is the m903 actually available yet? I was thinking it was announced but not shipping. I was seriously looking at that unit up until my stock tanked last week.

 

What more can you tell us about it? How do you find the built-in headphone amp?

 

thanks!

 

New guy here - old guy elsewhere...Mac Mini - BitPerfect - USB - Schiit Bifrost DAC - shit cable - Musical Fidelity A3.5 - home-brew speakers designed to prioritize phase and time response (Accuton ceramic dome drivers and first-order crossovers) and a very cheaply but well corrected room...old head, old ears, conventionally connected to an old brain with outdated software.

 

"It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." -- Mark Twain

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Hi Jeff,

 

The m903 is now widely available in the USA and I imported one of the first units into the UK.

 

The headphone amp is very good without being astonishing. To qualify that statement, it doesn't resolve to the nth degree nor does it create a holographic sound stage like my Meier Stepdance. Saying that, linking it to my Mac playing AIFF ripped CD's and listening with my LCD-2 phones it's wonderfully involving and musical. It captures the ethereal essence of the music and reproduces it with a warmth that certain esoteric DAC's lack, which might not suit transparency hounds but it floats my metaphorical boat!

 

Cheers.

 

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I really like my grado SR-60 headphones and the Burr-Brown/TI OPA2134 headphone amp in my audioengine N22 amp. I used to get serious complaints from the family when I listened to rock and roll at what were obviously highly reasonably volume levels until I bought the grados and the amp. Given how much peace this bought me, I should have negotiated for a much more expensive set of headphones and amp . . . . :)

 

Macmini (as server)-> AE Express/SB Touch-> Dacmagic plus -> Outlaw RR2150 -> PSB Image T6 (dedicated 2 channel audio system)

Macmini (via toslink)-> NAD T747 -> PSB Imagine B/SVS SB2000 subwoofer (home theater)

Macbook Pro-> Peachtree idecco->PSB Imagine Minis, Energy ESW-M8 subwoofer, Beyerdynamic DT880 (home office)

IMac->audioengine D1 dac->airmotiv 4 (work system)

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Thanks. You specifically called out Redbook, which matters quite a bit to me since I'm even more picky about what I listen to than about how it sounds.

 

Still, I wonder have you listened to some 24/196 with the m903? Some reviewers have said that some hi-res DAC's don't do the top end sample rates well enough -- may even sound better at lower res. Some have said that 24/196 when done right makes a huge improvement. I'm wondering if you have an opinion of which group this DAC would fall into. (if either)

 

New guy here - old guy elsewhere...Mac Mini - BitPerfect - USB - Schiit Bifrost DAC - shit cable - Musical Fidelity A3.5 - home-brew speakers designed to prioritize phase and time response (Accuton ceramic dome drivers and first-order crossovers) and a very cheaply but well corrected room...old head, old ears, conventionally connected to an old brain with outdated software.

 

"It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." -- Mark Twain

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Hi Jeff,

 

That's a very interesting question and one that I can't answer at the moment as I haven't downloaded any 24/196 files to listen to. But now that I'm intrigued by the prospect of superior sound quality, I'll download some 24/196 music later today and report back this evening.

 

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Bryston BDP-1/BDA-1 to Anthem Pre1 out through large Headroom power supply box to Headroom Cosmic driving the HD800s. Cosmic originally bought for battery powered portable rig with Grado SR125s and Sony Discman. Since none of my gear had a phone jack, bought the Headroom PS (no model # on it and can't find it in their archives) so I could listen to tunes through my stereo without having to replace batteries all the time. Dig it so far!

 

Tom

 

tomE[br]Bryston BDP-1, Bryston BDA-1, Oppo BDP-95, Rogue Audio Sphinx, Montor Audio Silver RX8s. [br]Analog: LP12, Alphason HR100S, Benz Micro LO04 and Rogue audio Triton phono pre

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Either Grado SR325's or B&W P5's on Grado amp or straight from a MacBook Pro. I can usually listen for a couple of hours mainly to sample music I am looking to purchase. I listen to Naim and B&W, Rega speakers usually. Not a huge headphone lover but am surprised at how much I like the B&W's.

 

David

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realhifi I'm intrigued that you like the B&W P5's so much, as I find they sound somewhat muffled and not very dynamic. Do your P's have many hours usage? Mine are quite new and perhaps they will improve after 50 hours or so. I really want to like the P5's as they're very well built and stylish.

 

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Some nice stuff being listed here!

 

I use cans in my bedroom: Woo WA22, Wyred4Sound DAC2, Audez'e LCD2 with the ALO Chain Mail cable, Cardas Golden Reference XLR, AudioQuest Carbon USB cable. I can (and often do) get lost for hours in musical good times with this setup!

 

At work, I have Beyer T1s that run through a Ray Samuels SR71A, connected via LOD to an iPod - sounds very good. I'm unlikely to get a DAC for the office (

can't use my computers there for audio anyway).

 

I've also got some Ultimate Ears TripleFi Pro's that I think sound great and keep in my murse when out and about/traveling. I also have a pair of Grado RS2i's that I rarely use anymore.

 

 

 

Digital: Schiit Yggy + Gumby, Meridian Explorer2

Headphone: Woo WA22, Audez'e LCD3, Beyerdynamic T1

Amplification: Pass Labs INT30A, Focal 1027be

Analog: VPI Classic, Soundsmith Zephy, EAR 834P

LastFM: WharfRatJustin

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They definitely improve. Whether this is breaking in of the headphones or adjustment of my expectations, I am not sure, but they definitely seem to sound better than when I first heard them.

 

Leave them plugged into a repeating source for a few days.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Audeze LCD2 / Sennheiser HD650 / Weiss DAC202

 

HD650 - Perhaps one of the best value for money.

LCD2 - Definitely the best value for money.

 

The Weiss DAC202 headphone stage is fantastic. I am wondering if there are any better headphone amp out there? But as we all are CAS based,, the DAVC202 seems like the only route out. Or is it?

 

Qnap NAS (LPS) >UA ETHER REGEN (BG7TBL Master Clock) > Grimm MU1 > Mola Mola Tambaqui /Meridian 808.3> Wavac EC300B >Tannoy Canterbury SE

 

HP Rig ++ >Woo WES/ > Stax SR-009, Audeze LCD2

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  • 2 weeks later...

Nobody out there with an Audio Technica ATH-AD700?

 

I don't like headphones, but these are a good compromise. They don't remember me, that I don't hear with my stereo system.

They are open constructed and have a good and natural soundstage. The sound is not inside my head. Tonality is straight. Bass is fast but slim.

And last but not least, for occasional use - they are really cheap.

Maybe the HD800 are much better - I've never tried them.

Any input?

 

reg.

Bernhard

 

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I found myself listening to my iPhone via some Klipsch Image IEMs a great deal whilst traveling. I enjoyed the sound so much that I started to investigate a home setup.

 

Having read lots of reviews (I didn't discover any way to audition in advance) and given that 99% of my listening is rock music, I settled on the LCD-2. Again based on my known personal preferences (Krell Solid State) and reviews, I have paired this with the Lake People Violectric HPA V181.

 

I have no previous experience of other configurations, but am delighted with this setup. I find the overall experience is different to my speaker setup, but I find it equally satisfying and am loving re-listening to my music collection. In terms of value for money I believe it is astonishing!

 

Next step is to figure out which replacement cable to pair with the headphones. I hear just a hint of sibilance on some recordings and I'm hoping that upgrading the stock cable will tame this.

 

 

 

 

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prosoft,

 

I have my LCD-2 re-cabled with ALO audio RW8-S Silver/Copper headphone cable and it has improved the transparency and dynamics. However, it is quite a cumbersome cable and relatively expensive. A friend has his LCD-2 re-cabled with Moon Audio Silver Dragon and they sound nearly as good as mine, but there is a smidgeon of treble harshness listening to cymbals and brass instruments. I mentioned this and he assured me that this cables takes 100 hours plus to `burn-in' and his only had 30 hours play time on it. The Silver Dragon cable is far more flexible and easy to manage and a bit cheaper too.

 

Hope that this helps,

 

Cheers.

 

 

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"Haha, skylla, balancing act and then a crappy Denon ....

 

What happened, did the dog chew the good headphoned? "

 

They arent stock d7000. They are the fully modded version by lawton audio. About $1800 for a set. I have tried many cans including the hd800 and lcd2 and t1. I feel that they have a balanced signature with nice tight bass and good soundstage. They may not be the very best can for any 1 genre, but they are above average at every genre. This is important for someone that loves listening to a variety of music and doesnt want to switch cans. Dont get these mixed up with stock d7000 which have a u shaped sound signature and to much overbearing and bloated bass. My next can will be the R10 to see if it can unthrone my la7000 from the top spot. The lcd2 are really close to them so I dont feel they are worth buying at this time. The lcd2 might be faster with a little more air, but they are also more dry and forward in the vocals which can be irritating sometimes.

 

 

Imac > Offramp4 > Ayon Skylla > Eddie Current B.A./Stax 717 > LCD-3/SR007 mk1

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I have listened to the D7000 w/j$ vs. CD3000 - no comparison. The D7000 sucked.

 

Here's my stuff: Assemblage DAC2 modded up the wazoo, CEC HD53N, Headroom Balanced Desktop DAC/AMP, CEntrance DACport, Grado HF2, Beyer MMX300.

 

How do you like the Skylla? Compare it with the Lavry DA11 for example, if you heard it. :)

 

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Favorite rig:

 

iPad -> HRT iStreamer -> Bellini HA540 amp -> Grado RS2i

 

So far this sounds better than:

 

MacMini -> MF Vlink -> MHRT Havana -> Music Hall a25.2 amp -> Grado RS2i

 

...but the Havana DAC is still breaking in, and I will upgrade the tube in it as well.

 

Kirk

 

MacMini -> Audiophilleo2 -> MHDT Havana DAC -> Placette remote volume -> Miniwatt N3 -> Tekton Design OB45

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Amp: Woo WA6 w/Sophia Princess 274B

 

Cans: Grado RS1i

 

Rest of system: JRiver MC15, PS Audio PWD w/Bridge & AC-12 power cable, MIT Shotgun S1 interconnects.

 

Replaced my Sony XA5400ES w/the PWD 6 months ago, jumped into computer audio head first a few months and am really enjoying it.

 

A very musical setup while my main system (Spectral DMA-180 + Avalon Radian HC) is in storage. :-(

 

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